X-Books: Days of Future Past - War Story
by Leen713
Summary: Private First Class Alex Summers is ready to leave the war behind. But when his unique military squad encounters impossible allies from the future, can they work together to save their world from the dangers lurking below the surface? Set before and during X-Men DOFP with some cross over characters. Rated T for language. Feedback welcome. :)
1. Chapter 1

Private First Class Alexander Summers crouched low, surrounded by the thick green plant life of a Vietnamese jungle. The air was humid, dense, and sweat beaded down his face from beneath his camouflaged helmet. He had been on dozens of scouting missions like this one but, in the back of his mind, he knew this was different. He knew soon he could be going home.

"Havok," a voice whispered and Alex glanced back over his left shoulder. His code name did not get used much anymore. Since re-enlisting in the army, he was usually just Private Summers. But in the field, with his squad, formal identification was dropped in favor of their mutant handles.

The voice had come from a soldier hidden a short distance behind, the young man's dark skin helping him blend into the brush. Alex had not heard him approach and it took him a moment to spot the other soldier's location. The man's uncanny ability to sneak up on someone was not unfamiliar and only one of the mutant traits that earned him the code name of Haze.

"Anything?" Haze asked quietly, glancing up with his oddly colored eyes. He was also wearing a helmet, which covered the rows of spikes that grew from his scalp. His enlisted name was Private Johnson Smith, an alias almost as nondescript as Haze could make himself seem to others.

Alex shook his head, made a gesture meaning hold position and stared forward again into the jungle. He heard movement to the right as another member of his squad shifted his feet.

"I wish he'd hurry up already," Ink muttered, gripping his rifle with his tattooed hands, "This isn't going to be any easier when it's dark."

Alex held up a hand in Ink's direction as an order for silence. Ink grumbled something else under his breath before settling back into position. They had been lying low in this patch of undergrowth for nearly thirty minutes, time dragging by as the remaining light of day dwindled. Alex could not blame Ink (formally known as Private Eric Glitter) for his impatience. He felt the same way. But Alex was this squad's leader and they had a mission to complete. Hopefully, their last mission. He did not want to jeopardize that or any of his teammates when success could mean their next trip from camp would be back to the U.S.

Another ten minutes passed before the tree line ahead of them swayed from an impact. Alex tensed, muscles aching from being so long in a crouched position, and held up a hand instinctively. His rifle was slung over his back but he did not reach for it. The weapon had hardly been used since it had been issued to him three years ago. In combat, the only weapon Alex trusted was his own. He could feel the energy building. A tingling sensation that started in his chest and traveled up toward his closed fist. He spotted a dark shape moving quickly down one of the shaking trees and lowered his hand.

The fourth member of their squad descended then leaped to the ground with an audible thud. Alex winced slightly and sighed. Private Mortimer Toynbee, also known as Toad due to his very distinctive mutation, made his way toward them without the stealth Alex would have preferred. He gave a quick whistle to assist the soldier in locating the squad's hiding spot.

Toad ducked under a low hanging branch and took a position next to the others. He wiped condensation from the metallic goggles that were affixed to his face. Alex had no idea how the other mutant could see anything out of those dark lenses. Toad had told Alex he had built them sometime before enlisting in the army but never exactly why. Whatever the reason, Toad had proven to be a good scout and was usually sent ahead to get a feel of the situation before the rest of the squad moved in.

"Report," Alex said, the energy that had built up in his arm fading.

Toad scowled, an expression not at all diminished by the over-sized goggles, and said, "There's more of them than the Sergeant said there would be. Ten men, maybe twelve in all. Yelling at each other for some reason."

Alex nodded and asked, "What about weapons?"

"Nothing major," Toad said, "Only four of them had rifles from what I could see. Could'a had more stashed in one of the huts, I guess. They all seemed pretty angry about something. Looked like they were getting ready to make tracks."

"Make tracks?," Ink repeated sarcastically, "Great. Right in our direction I bet."

"Didn't look like that to me," Toad replied, turning his scowl toward Ink.

"Oh, good, that makes me feel better," Ink shot back, the tattoos on his face shifting slightly.

"Enough. Quiet," Alex said, taking control of the conversation, "How far off are they?"

"Couldn't of been more than half a klick north of here," Toad said.

Alex nodded again and glanced back toward Haze, who had been watching the conversation between his teammates with a smirk. Haze got along well with the rest of the squad. He was a surprisingly easy going guy for a mutant. But he was always amused watching Alex try to wrangle in the bickering between Ink and Toad.

"Looks like you're up," Alex said to Haze, "Toad will lead you first toward the Charlies. Me and Ink will cover you from the back. When you've engaged, give the signal and the rest of us will move in."

"Affirmative," Haze replied still grinning slightly and stepped toward Toad.

Before the squad began to move, Alex spoke one last time.

"Remember... this is a scouting mission," he said firmly, "We go in, get the full intel and get out. No direct combat, if we can avoid it."

The other three soldiers gave him quick nods but Alex knew it was a reminder that had to be given. He could see something in their faces which needed to be reigned in with commands for caution. Alex was not like the rest of his squad in some ways. He was a mutant like them, no doubt about that. Alex could generate immense amounts of destructive energy at will. Powers he had learned to control during his years at Charles Xavier's ill-fated School for the Gifted.

But Alex could hide his mutation if he chose to. He had only become a part of this squad when the Staff Sergeant had approached him after discovering the details of his past prison record. Before then, no one in his military command had known about his mutant abilities. The other men in his squad were not so lucky. Their mutations manifested physically, making them instant pariahs to the rest of humanity, including their brothers-in-arms. Alex found it caused them to have something more to prove and an eagerness to use their mutant abilities that he himself had never experienced.

Toad and Haze moved out, creating some distance between them and their teammates. Alex and Ink followed as swiftly as they could while trying not to disturb the jungle too much and give their position away.

After a short time, Alex and Ink could hear raised voices coming from beyond the trees. Alex cursed silently, thinking they had been discovered after all, when the voices suddenly fell silent and he could hear sound of metallic objects clattering to the ground.

A few still moments passed before a quick whistle signaled the all clear.

Alex pushed forward out of the trees and glanced around the scene. A small hut was centered in the clearing, its roof partially collapsed under the weight of a fallen branch. A dozen Vietnamese men lay on the ground throughout the small camp, wide eyed but unconscious. The scleras of their eyes were no longer white but now covered with a brown film.

Haze and Toad were checking over the men, removing weapons and making sure none of them were still alert. Alex noted that Toad's count had been correct, only four of the men had been armed, at least with rifles. Several had knives, two had sickles and others had homemade blunt weapons that could have caused damage in a close fight.

Alex frowned in thought and watched as Ink moved to inspect the battered hut. Something did not seem right. The Sergeant had passed down the orders to locate and inspect this camp. The war was ending and the commanders did not want to risk any last minute unexpected attacks on the main barracks as troops were heading out. But this did not look like any Charlie camp Alex had seen before. The fallen men did not look like soldiers or enemy combatants. Alex picked up one of the recovered rifles. It was old, looked like it was ready to fall apart.

As he circled the camp, Alex heard a snuffling noise and walked toward the far edge of the trees. A ragged work horse hitched to a cart was sitting on the ground, looking almost as dazed as the men Haze had stunned. It was mostly conscious, breathing heavily as it tried to rise to its feet. Alex glanced in the cart and found only boxes of rice and produce.

Alex stepped back and again looked around. This situation felt more wrong by the minute. These men seemed like farmers, not soldiers. Could command's intel on this area have been so wrong? Alex walked quickly back toward Toad and Haze.

"Find anything?" he asked. The two other soldiers shook their heads.

"Nothing," Haze said, frowning, "Nothing in writing anyway. What exactly did they expect us to find?"

Before Alex could reply, Ink swore loudly from within the hut. He backed out of the broken door slowly and turned wide eyes on his teammates.

"Shit," he repeated, "Shit, shit, shit. I think it's some kind of bomb."

"Bomb?!" Haze repeated as Alex moved quickly toward Ink. He glanced inside the hut and spotted what Ink had uncovered.

Alex felt his whole body grow cold. Blinking lights gave brief illumination to the pile of explosives sitting again the back wall. The bomb looked sophisticated, certainly more advanced than anything he had encountered from enemy combatants during his time in Vietnam. Crowning the device was a white, almost egg shaped machine with five horizontal red lights.

Ink looked afraid and swallowed hard before he spoke again, "I think... I think I triggered...some kind of countdown. Two red lights started coming on when I walked inside. The rest lit up when you got over here, Havok."

"Jesus," Alex said, turning quickly back toward Haze and pointing to the fallen men, "Wake them up."

"Are you nuts?" Haze asked in surprise, "What about..."

"I said, WAKE THEM UP!" Alex shouted, "And MOVE BACK! We've gotta get out of range."

Haze's eye colors swam as he shifted his powers from the fallen men. The men began to rise, shaking their heads and getting unsteadily to their feet. One of the older farmers spotted the soldiers and his eyes became wide. He started shouting pointing between Alex's squad and the hut, and waving for the other men to run. None of them seemed intent on attacking the squad as they fled.

A high-pitched whine began to emanate from the hut as the soldiers ran into the trees. Seconds later, an explosion blew them all off their feet.

Dazed, Alex found himself face down in the moist earth of the jungle. He was not sure how long he lay there, his ears ringing from the blast. He sat up and made it to his knees before he looked around. Haze was coughing to his right, covering his mouth with his arm and holding his helmet with his free hand. A moment later, he spotted Ink struggling to his feet, bracing himself against a tree. Ink was trying to say something to him but Alex's hearing had not recovered enough to understand. Alex moved his head from side to side and realized he did not see their fourth teammate.

"Where's Toad?" he asked the others, his voice sounding muffled to his own ears. Ink spoke again but the words were still intelligible. Haze just shook his head, still looking stunned.

"Toynbee! Report!" Alex shouted, not caring if anyone else in the jungle hear him. A crashing sound made Alex turn and he spotted Toad jumping down between two large trees.

"Here, sir!" Toad responded, taking one final jump in Alex's direction. Toad's quick movements made Alex's head spin but he was able to get to his feet. Alex glanced up the trees, wondering how high Toad had gone when retreating from the blast zone.

"The rest of 'ems run off," Toad said, crouching, "Sorry, sir, I didn't see if any of them still had weapons."

Alex nodded and glanced back toward the destruction, "Well... I don't think that matters now. I don't think they'll be coming back here anyway. What's the damage? Anybody hurt?"

Each man checked in. Luckily it seemed like they mostly just had cuts and bruises though Alex did note that Haze was gripping his side and grimacing. He would need to have the medic check him out for possible broken ribs once they got back to the barracks.

"Why would they have a bomb like that in their own camp?" Haze asked as the squad regrouped, "It didn't look like a combat set up."

"No," Alex agreed, "It didn't."

"Well, pretty sure they weren't expecting someone to show up and set it off," Toad said, jerking his head toward Ink.

Ink glared at Toad, "Hey, fuck you, man. How was I supposed to know... And anyway where the hell did they get something like that from? Didn't look like any explosive I've seen before."

"Yeah, me either," Alex said and ran his hand back through his hair. He could not think about the bomb's origins with his head still ringing and it was nearly full dark.

"Let's move off a ways and find a place to hole up for the night," he said, inspecting his ruck sack for damage before hoisting it to his back.

"Hey, Havok," Toad said as the squad began to move out, "I think I might have found a piece of it. The explosive, I mean. It was rammed in that tree I climbed."

Alex frowned as Toad held out a piece of black metal. He took it and rubbed a thumb across the embossed surface. Three raised letters remained. Alex thought they were "TRA" but the light was failing and he could not be sure. He handed the metal back to Toad.

"Could be important," Alex said with a nod, "Hang on to it and we can show it to the Sergeant when we get back."

"Yes, sir," Toad said, sounding pleased, and stowed the metal object in his own ruck sack.

As the squad moved out, Alex again began to think of home. Where would home be for him now? Back at Xavier's school? Back to Hawaii, where he grew up? Back to some state-side military base? He realized sadly that he did know. And what about that others? People may have thought they were freaks but, at least here, they had a duty, a purpose. When that was over... where would any of them call home?


	2. Chapter 2

_Here's where my cross over bits are going to begin. I enjoy mixing characters from different series into the same story (like in my previous fics). It's challenging to try and write for those characters to make them sound true to the source material. The X-Men movie-verse has always been my favorite base universe for stories with outside and original characters thrown in for fun. Critiques and feedback always welcomed. :)_

Professor River Song tapped her fingers rhythmically against the spaceship's command console, staring out of the large front viewport into a multitude of stars. The ship was nowhere near Earth, nowhere near anywhere really. Just adrift in the vast quiet of space...which was one of River's favorite places to be when she was trying sort something out in her head.

A red leather bound note book lay open before her, stylographic pen sitting to one side. The visible pages were marked with ancient symbols, arranged in a circular formation. There were twelve symbols that made up the circumference, each connected to its opposite by a straight line to form a radiating pattern. Where the beams met in the center, a dark point took shape, like the center axis of a great wheel.

_Twelve_, River thought, her chin gently resting on the back of her other hand, _Why is it always twelve?_

River was a professor of archaeology. The study of time and the things time left behind was her passion as well as her profession. Time marched forward, leaving remnants of past lives and civilizations in its wake. But while time may continue unceasingly on for most, there were a few who could leave its flowing stream and travel to moments in the universe of their choosing. Sometimes. When they felt like it.

A smile creased River's lips as her thoughts trailed off from her work to a certain man. A certain Doctor. Whose own ship had been made to break the barriers of time and travel the whole of history as he saw fit. However, time and the universe were neither predictable or unbreakable. And traveling out of time's main course could have... and did have... consequences.

Those consequences were the reason that River Song now found herself pondering the number twelve as she sat in the dim silence of her ship's main bridge. She was an experienced time traveler, had been born to it some might say. Exploring the mysteries of the universe kept her occupied as she waited for a certain Doctor to return to her. She expected to learn amazing things, visit fabulous places inhabited by wondrous and dangerous beings, worlds beyond her imagination.

What she had not expected were the patterns. The patterns of twelve. Coincidences hidden in plain sight of history that only a time traveler like her would have ever noticed. A pattern, a path, a beam... always leading her back to one place, the last place she had ever expected to find any kind of great secret since so often it had been right under her feet.

Earth. Terra. The home world of her parents. Of all human life in the universe. The path always seemed to lead back to Earth. Why that was, she did not know. But she did intend to find out.

The quiet was broken as the command console chimed and a soft voice called her name.

"Professor Song," the ship's computer said in a soft, melodic voice, "It is now 7:00 am by Terran standard time. I hope I am not disturbing your studies but you did ask that I alert you when..."

"Yes," River said, shaking her head slightly to clear her thoughts, "Thank you. Is anyone else awake?"

"Yes, Professor," the computer replied, and then added with definite annoyance in its soft voice, "All but Mr. Rimmer. I did try to alert him of the hour at 06:30 but he told me to... 'smeg off' and fell back to sleep."

River gave the computer a sympathetic smile which she dearly hoped it could understand. Her ship was now the temporary home to four other individuals from different points through time and space, all brought together because... it would seem... they were the best choices for their current mission. She had no idea why Arnold Rimmer was one of those choices. But she was not in the position to question the practicality of her crew mates. She left that to the assigned commander of their unique band of travelers.

"Morning," someone said from behind her as the bridge doors slid open. River turned in her chair and smiled.

"Good morning, Jack," she said in response, "Sleep well?"

Captain Jack Harkness sighed and moved to sit in the navigation chair to her left. He had a steaming mug of coffee in one hand which he took a long sip from before he spoke.

"As well as one can in those old D-class bunks," he said, "Who ever designed those for long travel ships should be fired."

"Sorry," River said, still grinning, "I'm not used to have long travel company."

Jack took another sip from his mug and nodded, "I guess not. I just wish I could convince you to upgrade from this old boat to something with a bit of..."

He paused and glanced quickly at the console screen.

"Oh, damn," he said and then added, "Do you think it heard me?"

"The ship?" River asked sweetly, "I'm sure it did. But I doubt it took offense. Compared to what Rimmer's been calling the ship, I'm sure 'old boat' sounded like a compliment."

"Hardly," the soft voice of the computer chimed, causing Jack to wince and River to chuckle softly.

Jack rubbed the bridge of his nose, "I'm not used to ships like this having advanced A.I. intelligence."

"Only the best for my darling," River said, patting the ship affectionately.

"But D-class bunks?" Jack shot back.

River gave him a sly look, "I wouldn't call any of you my darlings. You've barely earned crony status at this point."

Jack laughed and turned his attention to the screen before him. He activated the command console and a map of Earth appeared, a blue-green orb marked with red pinpoints of light.

"Has your darling found us any new target areas?" he asked.

River shook her head, "Not yet. No new rift activity detected in any of the potential sites. Though it's only a matter of time."

Jack did not respond but River knew he agreed with what she had said. Jack had commanded the section of Torchwood that had specialized in time rifts in England during the early 21st century. He and his team were responsible for keeping the rift stable, preventing unsanctioned individuals and dangerous creatures from appearing on Earth. But the rift activity had changed over the centuries and now instances were appearing all throughout Earth's civilized history.

River's archaeological studies had been able to show these rifts occurred in locations that had frequent time traveling visitors. In essence, time travelers tearing through the universe were literally doing just that, tearing the universe apart. The consequences of time travel experiments were causing the walls between time and space to become thin and rupture. Creatures could emerge through those rifts, causing death and destruction for the unfortunate people living in the surrounding areas.

There were few ways to close a rift once the fabric of time had ruptured. Organizations like Torchwood had worked to find those ways and keep time whole. Jack was not with Torchwood anymore but his knowledge had lead River down the path to one such weapon which could effectively repair a rift. And that weapon was on her ship.

The bridge doors opened again and a young woman appeared from the hall beyond. Her auburn hair hung down her back in a braid, wisps loosening around her head. She was panting slightly, as if she had run the length of the ship, and had a comically panicked look in her blue eyes.

Rebecca Malloy glanced between the two time travelers and spoke between breaths, "Morning. How are things?"

"Peachy," River said with a smile and then asked her guest, "Looking for Rimmer?"

Rebecca rolled her eyes and shook her head, flopping down in one of the cabin's rear chairs.

"No no no," she replied, "I'm sure I'll run into him soon enough. Just trying to get a head start on the timetable of assignments he gave me."

"Timetable?" Jack asked with amusement.

"Oh yeah," Rebecca replied, taking a folder paper from her pocket and passing it to Jack for inspection, "He's the king of timetables. We were supposed to meet about 15 minutes ago in the cargo bay for morning exercises. Bucky's back there doing his thing but hadn't seen Rimmer."

After giving the extensively detailed timetable a quick read, Jack passed it back to Rebecca.

"He's just trying to keep you on your toes," Jack said, trying to not sound too skeptical, "That's his job, right?"

"Right," Rebecca confirmed and sighed heavily, "Drill sergeant Ace Rimmer..."

"Hardly," Jack said before he could stop himself. River raised her eyebrows at him with amusement. Jack had sounded as insulted as the computer had earlier.

"I've met Ace Rimmer, remember?" Jack continued, ignoring River's expression, "Well, one of the Ace Rimmers anyway..."

Jack sighed and looked dreamy for a brief moment, "What a guy..."

Rebecca rolled her eyes again as Jack checked himself and got back on track.

"This Arnold Rimmer isn't quite an 'Ace'," he continued.

_Perhaps in time,_ River thought, but chose not to share the sentiment with her two guests.

"Maybe not," Rebecca agreed and stood from her chair, "But he's the Rimmer I've got. And that Rimmer's got a time table I'm trying to stick to before I get another lecture about Space Corps discipline. Computer, where is he anyway?"

"In his quarters," the computer replied, "Still sleeping it would appear."

Rebecca grinned and shrugged, "Guess I'm the time table king this morning. And stack of space pancakes are about to be a new addition to it. But if he asks, tell Rimmer I reread the entire rift bestiary this morning while doing push ups and calculating some astro... navigation...whatever... crap."

"You got it," Jack said, "Just save me some of those pancakes."

Rebecca grinned again and left the bridge. River's own smile faded as she watched the seemingly young woman go. Jack caught the concern starting to spread over River's face. He turned toward her again, folding his arms across his chest.

"She still makes you uncomfortable, doesn't she?" Jack asked. River met his eyes and then looked away toward her open notebook.

"I suppose," she said, her fingers lightly touching one of the ancient symbols before closing the book, "I'm not comfortable with anyone who has the kind of power she does."

Jack raised his eyebrows in mild surprise, "Really? Even though you're married to..."

"I know who I'm married to," River cut him off, more harshly than she had intended, and then softened her tone, "It's not the same. And you know it."

Jack remained silent, watching River as she placed her red notebook into the inner pocket of her long coat. The silence lingered between them for a few more moments until River spoke again.

"If she is..." River began, searching for the right words, "...what you think she is. Then she could be one of the most destructive forces in the universe..."

Jack's neutral expression did not change, "Could be. But isn't."

"You can't know that for sure," River said darkly, "Not even you can know that, Jack."

"What I know," Jack replied, "...is that Rebecca Malloy is one of the few people in this universe who can close a rift. The rifts are one of the greatest threats the Earth has ever faced. And they're spreading. If we don't get a handle on them now, everything will fall apart. It's too dangerous to wait until..."

"_She's_ dangerous," River interrupted, "Whether or not you want to admit it. She's dangerous, Jack. Her mind will not be able to manage jumps through time for long. And what happens when she starts to remember who... remember _what_ she is? Do you think you'll be able to keep her contained? Or Rimmer? Or Barnes?"

Jack did not have an answer for that. He frowned as River turned her chair, stood and headed toward the bridge doors. She paused and turned back toward Jack.

"I trust your judgment, Jack," she said, "Because the man I married said I should. I'm just trying to be honest about our situation. We've been tasked to close the time rifts. An impossible mission... for which we do need improbable individuals. I just want you to keep one thing in mind..."

Jack sighed and shook his head, "And what is that?"

"She's just one, Jack," River said, putting a hand over to coat to touch the shape of her hidden note book, "Which means there are eleven more. Will you be a confident about them as you are about her?"

Jack opened his mouth, trying to respond, when the computer's soft voice chimed.

"Professor Song... I seem to have located an instance of the energy patterns you were searching for," the computer said.

Jack and River exchanged knowing looks, the tension between them evaporating as the computer displayed the information on the console screens. A rift had been located, somewhere in Earth's past.

"Well," River said, "It would appear we have our next objective. We'd better add some pancakes to our own timetables while we have the chance."

Jack nodded and watched as the computer zeroed in through time on the blue-green globe of the Earth.

_Earth... Eastern Hemisphere... Asian continent... South China Sea... Vietnam..._


	3. Chapter 3

"Three weeks?"

Alex Summers stood at attention before his senior officer inside one of the semi-cylinder structures that made up the battalion's base camp. The building was empty of all other personnel at this early hour. Rows of desks lined each side, waiting for clerks and other staff to arrive for morning assignments. The desk used by the squad's Staff Sergeant was the furthest from the front door.

Alex and his squad had returned to camp the previous day from their scouting mission. A general debriefing had been provided to the senior officer upon arrival but his Sergeant had wanted to review details again after Summers had a chance to rest. The information was outlined in a report folder laying open on the desk along with the chuck of black metal that had been recovered from the explosion.

Staff Sergeant Nicolas Fury glanced up from the paperwork in front of him, his face stern and impassive.

"Yes, Private," Fury responded, "Was I not clear?"

"No..." Alex answered then, recognizing his error, corrected, "No, sir. It's just..."

"Just what, Private?" Fury asked, putting down his pen.

Alex shifted his stance slightly and sighed.

"Before we left on this last mission, "Alex said, "Outgoing plans had listed our squad on a flight back to the States by the end of the week."

Fury nodded, "It did. But orders have changed." He motioned for Alex to take a seat, handing him a second folder.

Alex took the documents and the one of the nearby chairs. After a brief read through, he frowned, trying to keep his temper in check. His powers may have manifested along with his anger in the past, but the years of training with Charles Xavier taught him control. The barest hint of the burning energy thrummed along side his heart.

"Three weeks," Alex repeated after taking a deep breath, "Our squad has been transferred to a flight route home in three weeks. And we're being placed on... special assignment... in lieu of the 104th squad... due to our... unique skill set..."

Fury did not reply, watching the Private closely. Alex ground his teeth and lowered the folder to his lap.

"Permission to speak freely, sir?" he asked.

Fury nodded again, folding his hands calmly on the desk, "Granted."

"Sir," Alex began, "This is the fourth time we've been rerouted. Every time the squad gets the go ahead to depart, we're... pushed into another mission that's reassigned from somewhere else. Those other soldiers get to go home and...," he paused, "...and we're placed in positions of unnecessary risk that do not seem to have any relevance to what our primary mission here was supposed to be!"

"I'm sorry, Private," Fury said coolly, "I didn't realize you were privy to deciding what your squad's... How did you put it?... primary mission... is supposed to be."

Alex shook his head again, "No, sir, that's not what I meant..."

"Then, please," Fury replied, leaning back slightly in his chair, "Enlighten me."

Alex opened his mouth to speak, then paused. After it was clear no words were immediately forthcoming, Fury continued in his place.

"Have you been treated unfairly?" Fury asked, leaning forward again, "Would you say you've been placed in any more or less danger than the other men in this battalion? Have I given you missions that have been unimportant or placed you in 'unnecessary risk'?"

"No, sir, not you," Alex replied quickly, then continued, considering his words carefully, "It's just... It seems like... command seems to order us into situations that don't warrant any intervention at this point in the war when everything is ending..."

"You think Vietnam ends when you go home, Summers?" Fury asked, "I think there are several million people calling this place home who would disagree with you. From your last debriefing, it would seem your squad helped protect at least a dozen of them. Sounds to me like the intervention was very warranted. And your unique abilities added to the mission's success."

"Is that what you're going to put in your report?" Alex asked, glaring.

Fury, ignoring the impertinence, rubbed the bridge of his nose, "Summers... you're a good leader. The squad respects you and you do your best to look out for them. That's the reason I requested you for this assignment. But not every order passed down from command is related to your... genetic peculiarities."

Alex did not reply, looking down at the documents in his lap.

"Your mutations," Fury corrected, causing Alex to meet his gaze again, "They may be considered aberrations to many people in this world, but here, in this conflict, I consider them an asset. A skill set the men in my command have that gives them a distinct advantage over _normal_ soldiers."

Alex looked surprised as Fury continued, "That's the reason I've had you men doing reconnaissance duties when your flights home were... rescheduled. I need a team I can count on to avoid further escalation of combat."

"And you think our team will do that, sir?" Alex asked with a slight grin. Fury had reprimanded the squad on more than one occasion for physical altercations at the camp. These were usually due to 'normal' soldiers harassing the mutants in one way or another. But not always.

"I think _you_ will make sure of it," Fury said, pointing a finger at the Private.

"Yes, sir," Alex replied then read aloud from the newest mission form, "A diagnostic geological survey of the surrounding terrain to inspect on unusual climatological and environmental abnormalities in post-combat zones. What does that even mean?"

Fury shrugged, "If I knew, I'd be in a different line of work. Your squad will be responsible for escorting the research team into the surrounding territory as needed."

"How'd a research team get approval to come in when they're in the middle of getting everybody out?" Alex asked.

"Hell if I know, Private," Fury said, "I guess they have friends in high places."

"When do they come in?" Alex asked.

"Tomorrow," Fury responded, and then tilted his head, "Do you think Private Smith will be up for it?"

Alex nodded, "Yes, sir. Doc said no broken ribs. A little shaken up still but we should be ready. If I can ask, sir, did the engineers have any feedback about our souvenir?"

Fury glanced toward the metallic fragment, the three embossed letters D (or was it T?) R A facing upward.

"Afraid not," Fury said, "At least, not that they've told me. It's a shame nothing was recovered from the trigger device you described. That may have given them a better idea about what we're dealing with."

Alex nodded, knowing very well that any information about the bomb might never be shared with Fury, let alone Alex and his squad. Fury stood from his chair and Alex followed.

"Have the squad meet me in the sleeping quarters at eleven hundred hours," Fury stated as he rose, "I should have more specific arrival times for our guests by then. Dismissed."

"Yes, sir," Alex said, giving a quick salute before heading toward the exit.

Fury sat slowly back into his chair as he watched the Private leave. After a moment, he picked up the metallic fragment and turned it thoughtfully in his hands. His thumb lightly brushed the embossed lettering as a concerned frown creased his face.

* * *

Alex pushed open the door leading into the squad's sleeping quarters and stepped inside. He was not surprised to find both Private Glitter and Private Toynbee waiting for him. Toynbee jumped to his feet when he spotted Alex and gave him a salute. Glitter glanced up from the magazine he was reading but stayed on his bunk, legs outstretched. He looked at Toynbee with annoyance before giving Alex a quick nod.

"Toynbee," Alex said, walking past the young man toward his own bunk, "I told you before, you don't have to salute me every time I walk in. We're both Privates."

Toynbee frowned over his heavy goggles, "But you're our squad leader, sir..."

"But not your commanding officer," Alex said, and then added, "And it's just 'Alex'... not 'sir."

Toynbee nodded and sat on his bunk, "Yes, sir."

Glitter snorted with laughter and Alex gave him a warning look.

Ignoring it, Glitter asked, "So, what did Fury say? When's our flight?"

Alex glanced between the two men before replying, "Three weeks. We've been rerouted..."

"Again?!" Glitter interrupted, tossing his magazine aside, "You've gotta be kidding me!"

"New assignment came through," Alex said, trying to sound nonchalant. He had known he would get this reaction.

"Yeah, right," Glitter shot back, jumping up from his bunk, "This is total bullshit!"

Alex shrugged, "Take it up with Fury. He'll be here at eleven hundred."

"What's the mission?" Toynbee asked. He did not appear at all bothered about the departure delay or the new orders.

"Some research team is coming in," Alex replied, "And they need a squad to escort them around the area."

"Babysitting," Glitter said with disgust, "Terrific. Giving the muties the shit jobs again."

Toynbee scowled at Glitter before turning back to Alex, "What are they researching?"

"Unusual geological something or other," Alex replied, reclining on his bunk, "Sounds like a lot of trudging through the mud. But I guess it's gotta be important for them to get approval from command. Did Smith get back from the medic yet?"

Toynbee shook his head, "No, but we saw him at the mess hall earlier. Do you want me to let him know Fury's coming?"

"Yeah, Toynbee, thanks," Alex replied and the young mutant leaped away toward the main doors.

Glitter flopped down on his own bunk again, muttering as he shook out the pages of his magazine.

"Three weeks," he said shaking his head, "Fan-freaking-tastic."


	4. Chapter 4

James Buchanan Barnes was sitting alone in the cargo bay of River Song's ship. In his right hand, he held a small device which he was using near the elbow of his metallic left arm. The silver cybernetic appendage was connected to his body at the shoulder, the red star that had once adorned it mostly worn away. Blue sparks of electricity moved in waves toward his fingertips each time the device made contact.

If someone had asked Barnes how he ended up on this ship, he could not have given them the whole story. He remembered walking down a street in New York City and being approached by the man he would later know as Captain Jack Harkness. He remembered Jack giving a brief explanation about who he was and saying he needed Barnes' help. Something about rifts and time travel and the Earth being in danger. It was all sort of a blur now.

River Song had explained to him later that time travel could have that effect on people, particularly those who were not trained in navigating through time. It distorted memory, leaving the inexperienced with gaps in their own knowledge about themselves.

River and Jack did not suffer any sort of memory lapse. They both were experienced with time travel and had no ill effects. Surprisingly neither did Rimmer, but Barnes figured this was because Rimmer was a hologram and not actually alive.

Of their current crew roster, only Barnes and Malloy had encountered problems with their memories. Barnes knew the missing knowledge bothered Malloy, even though she mostly tried to find the humor in it. He, on the other hand, found not knowing everything about himself to be a reprieve.

Barnes had been a soldier once, before HYDRA had remade him into what he was now. He remembered enough of HYDRA to experience hatred when ever the name to mind. He knew HYDRA had made him do things, commit crimes that would have shamed the real James "Bucky" Barnes. Not remembering what those were lead to a quiet in Barnes' mind he was learning to appreciate.

His solitary occupation was interrupted as the cargo bay door opened and River Song stepped inside.

"Good morning, Mr. Barnes," River said cordially with a smile.

"Morning," Barnes replied, placing the device he had been using aside and extending his metal arm experimentally.

"Have you found everything you needed?" River asked, glancing in a case of tools sitting nearby.

"Yeah," Barnes replied, "I think so. Though I don't know what most of that stuff does."

River smiled and nodded, "I would guess not. Many of those gadgets weren't invented until centuries after you were born."

Barnes stood and pulled a long sleeved black shirt over his head. River watched him carefully for a moment before continuing.

"The computer has located a potential rift anomaly," River said, "I'd like to meet everyone in the mess hall in about ten minutes to discuss the findings."

Barnes nodded and started packing up the rest of his equipment.

"Ten minutes," he confirmed, "I'll meet you all there."

River gave a final nod and headed out of the cargo bay.

Barnes shut the lid of the tool case then flexed his cybernetic fingers. The sensation triggered a flash of unpleasant memory. Someone calling him "Bucky". Someone he had hurt. Barnes frowned and shook his head to clear it before following River further into the ship.

* * *

"Fan-smegging-tastic."

Arnold J. Rimmer sat at the mess hall table with his arms folded across his chest, looking as though the universe and all things within existed only to annoy him. Rimmer, along with the rest of his shipmates, had gathered at the oblong shaped table to discuss the computer's latest data regarding rift activity on Earth in the mid-1970s.

That and to eat space pancakes.

Sadly, Rimmer could not indulge in the battered breakfast delights since he was a purely holographic being. He did not entirely mind not being able to eat as it was one less thing to distract him from his pursuit of career excellence. Unfortunately, his current mission was to manage the young woman sitting next to him, who was uncouthly trying to speak through a mouthful of pastry.

"Oh, Rimmer, relax. It doesn't sound so bad," Rebecca Malloy said between bites.

"Not so bad?" Rimmer repeated with a scoff, "We're going to be chasing down horrific inter-dimensional monsters through the jungles of Vietnam during a war and you don't think that's _so bad?_"

Malloy shrugged, "Yeah, but we'll get to see Earth in the 1970s. That sounds pretty neat."

"Yes, _wonderful_," Rimmer said, "All big shoes and disco balls."

River Song smiled patiently as her guests spoke, waiting for the right moment to continue her review of the computer's findings. She rather liked Mr. Rimmer despite his pessimistic attitude. It was a strange contrast to Malloy, who was generally upbeat and positive. She did not really understand how Rimmer ended up being responsible for the young woman, especially given how dangerous River knew Malloy may be.

From the way Jack talked about it, there had been another Arnold "Ace" Rimmer in a parallel universe who was a great space faring hero. This present Rimmer had taken up those reins at some point and now was responsible for overseeing someone with an incredibly destructive power.

Jack Harkness was seated next to River, watching their holographic companion with growing agitation.

"More like crew cuts and army fatigues where we're going," Jack said, keeping his tone civil, "It will be 1973, there are still military operations going on in the area. Though the camp we're headed to is beginning to send soldiers back to the United States and shouldn't be involved in much direct combat."

Rimmer scowled indignantly and opened his mouth to speak again but Barnes chimed in before the hologram could continue his complaints.

"What happens once we get down there?" Barnes asked, "How do we locate the rift?"

"It won't be easy," River replied and activated a 3-D projection map of their intended destination, "The terrain would be a challenge without a war going on. We'll need to get better readings on the rift activity once we get to Earth and physically scout the area to pinpoint the tear."

The map zoomed in incrementally until the army barracks were visible. The crew could see some of the surrounding landscape, including a river that broke through the dense jungle.

"And when the rift is found?" Barnes asked.

"That's where Ms. Malloy comes in," River replied, keeping her face neutral so not to give away her misgivings about the young woman. The crew all looked at Rebecca, who returned their gazes with a bewildered shrug.

Jack continued the explanation, exuding his usual confidence, "Time rifts can be affected by surges of thermal energy. We used to control the Cardiff rift with a manipulator that could keep the tear stable. In this case, we plan to catch the rift at its genesis and use your powers to seal it. Before any _horrific inter-dimensional monsters_ can come through."

Rebecca frowned, "So, we find the rift and I... what... set it on fire?"

"We'll need more like a mini-supernova," Jack said with a smile. River did not outwardly react to Jack's words, watching Barnes and Rimmer exchange uneasy looks.

"Can you do that?" Barnes asked Malloy, feeling tension in the muscles connected to his cybernetic arm.

Rebecca sat back in her chair and shook her head, "I have no idea. I mean, starting fires is one thing but... Jack, you're talking about some kind of controlled mega explosion and... and... I don't even know how... I wouldn't even know where to begin."

"_Well_," Rimmer said, extending the word for emphasis, "You have done it before..."

Rebecca stared at the holographic man and, after a moment, said, "_What?! _What do you mean I've done it before? I don't remember anything like that!"

"_Of course_ you don't," Rimmer chided, "You've been all pudding brained since we arrived this time stream."

"And how am I supposed to do a thing like that when I can't remember how?" Rebecca asked, sounding slightly panicked.

"Your memories," Jack said, indicating both Malloy and Barnes, "...should begin to improve as we close in on the rift. And you can continue practicing your pyrokinesis with Rimmer while the rest of us locate the tear's source."

Rebecca raised an eyebrow, "You want me to train fire starting in a military base camp? That...doesn't sound safe. And wouldn't the soldiers all be wondering what's up with the girl shooting fire from her hands?"

Jack grinned broadly, "That's actually not going to be as strange on this Earth as one might think. River, can you bring up those news reports you found?"

River tapped her finger on a computer tablet before her and the 3-D map was replaced with a variety of television reports and newspaper headlines.

_Mutant Menace Uncovered in Cuba ... Children to be Screened for Mutant Gene … Friends of Humanity Declare, "Mutants Abomination to God" … "Magneto Mutant" Uncovered as JFK Assassin … Mutants March on D.C. for Equality …_

"What's a mutant?" Barnes asked.

"Apparently," River said without taking her eyes from the display, "It's the term used for people with mutations to their DNA which give them extra-ordinary abilities."

"So people like me?" Rebecca said.

"No," River replied at the same time Jack said, "Yes." Jack frowned, giving her a dark look.

River continued quickly, "That is... not quite. Your genetics don't necessarily explain why you can do the things you can do. However, since extra-ordinary powers are not deemed supernatural in this world, it would not be damaging to the time stream if you were accidentally observed."

"Wow," Rebecca said, "Sign me up and call me mutant then. I like the idea of people knowing I'm a fire starter and not freaking out like I'm some kind of alien invader."

"Still need to be careful, though," Barnes added gesturing at the news reports, "Seems like a lot of people in this world don't much like mutants."

"That's true," Jack agreed, "Which is why we've arranged to work with an army squad made up of mutants."

"And don't think being in a world full of bizarre people means you get to use your powers all willy nilly," Rimmer said to Malloy with a shake of his finger, "The training time table is going to be more vital than ever if we're going to get you in tip top shape."

Rebecca groaned and leaned her head back as Rimmer continued.

"I'll send you updates daily... no, hourly... if needed," the hologram said with exaggerated pride, "Space Corps discipline. That's the only way to keep a rag tag group of space adventures like us on the straight and narrow."

"_Rag tag_?" Jack repeated with annoyance, straightening his jacket as Barnes chuckled softly.

River gave Jack a sympathetic glance and placed a equipment case on the table. She opened it, revealing two leather bound wrist straps each containing a small computer screen and command buttons. These were duplicates of the machines River and Jack wore on their right arms.

"Here," she said, passing both Barnes and Malloy one of the devices, "These are called vortex manipulators. That's basically a fancy term for futuristic smart phone. They will allow us to communicate instantly or send a distress call to the ship, along with other functions."

"What about me?" Rimmer asked, "I won't be able to use my hard light form while I'm off the ship so I won't be able to touch anything."

"You won't be leaving the ship," River replied, "Rebecca will be able to project your hologram using her vortex manipulator as needed on the surface."

Rimmer looked abashed, "You mean you're leaving me here with..." He jerked a thumb at the ship, "...only that computer for company?"

River shrugged and smiled, "You'll manage, Mr. Rimmer. I image your time table revisions will keep you quite busy."

"Ah, yes," Rimmer agreed, "Quite right. We have a lot of work to do before it's supernova time."

Rebecca gave him a side long glare and plopped her chin in her hand before echoing his earlier sentiment.

"Fan-smegging-tastic."


	5. Chapter 5

Private Mortimer Toynbee hoisted a wooden crate onto a supply cart and shifted it into place.

When not on scouting missions, Toynbee was responsible for managing the shed housing supplies for Staff Sergeant Fury's full compliment of troops. Squads would send orders for what they needed and Toynbee would trudge back and forth to make deliveries across the camp. It was the definition of grunt work, but he enjoyed it. He had certainly had worse jobs in the past. Being in the army at least made him feel useful and, occasionally, appreciated.

Toynbee squatted next to the cart to secure the crates with a long strap. Once that was done, he removed the large goggles covering his eyes and checked the new supply order again to make sure he did not miss anything.

He never took the goggles off when he was around others. His mutation was apparent enough without the other soldiers taking note of his slightly over-sized and strangely colored eyes. He had re-purposed the old pair of Korean War era lenses to help improve his near sighted vision and shield his eyes from bright light. Since the goggles enhanced his skills in the field, Sergeant Fury had never given him a hard time about them. He got snarky comments sometimes from the other soldiers but he had learned to ignore them.

Toynbee placed the goggles back over his eyes and shoved the cart forward out of the shed's main double doors. It was strange to be unloading supplies when he had spent the past month or so packing them up to be shipped back to the States. He still did not really understand what he and the squad would be doing with the arriving research team. Fury had been vague about what the researchers were planning to do. But Toynbee's squad had been requested so he supposed they might need mutants for whatever they would be doing in the jungle.

When he arrived at the researchers' assigned building, Toynbee found the front doors propped open and could make out a group of four people standing inside. He wheeled the cart in and saw Staff Sergeant Fury speaking with two men and one woman.

"I hope these barracks will meet your needs, Professor Song," Fury said, standing at attention with his hands clasped behind his back.

The woman who Fury addressed smiled graciously and replied, "Oh yes. Thank you, Sergeant. This will do quite nicely."

Her English inflection caught Toynbee's attention. He had become accustomed to feigning an American accent since enlisting in the U.S. army (with a few easily forged documents). Her voice, while not unpleasant, caused him to think about times in his past he would rather forget.

Fury gestured the group to look toward Toynbee and the arriving crates.

"If there are any additional supplies you need, send a requisition form to Private Toynbee at Shed 4 and he'll get you what you need," Fury said.

The Private glanced at the newcomers and gave a quick salute before crouching behind the crates. He was not comfortable with the attention Fury had directed toward him and tried to keep his focus on unpacking the cart.

"I suppose he's one of the soldiers who will be assisting us?" one of the men asked and Fury nodded.

"Yes, Captain Harkness. Private Summers will be along at 14:00 hours to introduce you formally to the squad," Fury said.

"Sounds good," Harkness replied.

"May we inspect the sleeping quarters, Sergeant Fury?" Professor Song asked, then added apologetically, "We've had a long trip and will want to settle in so we can make an early start of it tomorrow."

"Of course," Fury replied, "Please follow me."

Toynbee glanced up as the Sergeant and Professor headed toward a door in the rear of the long room. Captain Harkness spoke to the second man before following the pair.

"You mind staying here and waiting for Malloy?" Harkness said, "She was checking in with the head clerk to get her desk assignment."

The second man nodded, "Sure. I've seen military sleeping quarters plenty of times before. I'll bring her back with me when she gets here."

Harkness gave the second man a quick grin and headed toward the rear door. The man wandered slowly around the building and Toynbee could see a dark frown creasing his face. He noticed the man wore only one glove covering his left hand and flexed the fingers repeatedly. Toynbee's movements as he unpacked the crate seemed abnormally loud in the quiet building. The man did not seem to notice though, lost in his own thoughts.

Toynbee jumped slightly as someone else entered through the open doors, breaking the quiet. When he turned to see the new arrival, Toynbee stopped what he was doing and stared.

A young woman wearing the same style military dress as Professor Song half ran, half stumbled into the barracks. She was a little out of breath and carried a large pile of document folders in her arms. When she spotted the second man from the team, Toynbee saw her face light up in a wide and beautiful smile. Toynbee felt his face flush as he watched her move further into the building.

"Bucky!" she announced, sounding relieved, "Thank god. This camp is like a maze. I must have tried half a dozen other buildings before I found you guys."

The second man's frown lifted, replaced by a small, amused smirk.

"The clerk's office was right at the end of this row," the man identified as 'Bucky' stated, "How did you get lost?"

The young woman scowled, "Everything here is green, brown and then more green. It's not that easy to tell what is what."

"You'll get used to it," the man said and gestured toward the woman's pile of documents, "What is all that?"

The woman shrugged and shook her head, "Reports... requisitions... records. The smeg if I know. Though it seems this is what I'll be doing while you get to explore the jungle. Secretaries, beware. I've entered the typing pool."

The man chuckled and pointed toward a nearby table, "Why don't you set that stuff down while I go find out where River and Jack went?"

He turned to leave, but then paused and turned back.

"Oh, and Malloy," he said, "Make sure you call me 'Barnes' while we're here."

The woman named Malloy nodded, "Right. Sorry. I forgot. I'm _so_ not good at this covert soldier stuff."

Barnes shrugged, "I outrank you in our little research team. I've gotta be tough about the rules to keep you on the 'straight and narrow'."

Malloy winced, "Oh, please, no. I've already got one Rimmer, I don't need another."

Barnes chuckled, and said, "I'll be right back. Don't wander off."

As he left in search of the others, Malloy shifted the stack of papers onto the table and sighed. Toynbee was still watching her from behind the crates, uncertain of what to do. She and Barnes and spoken candidly and it was a conversation Toynbee was not sure he had been meant to hear. He was worried that the woman would get angry if he made himself known. Or worse, report him to Fury. Or even worse, get that disgusted look on her face that so many women did when they saw him for the first time.

Toynbee tried to get his feet to move so he could quietly exit without her noticing, but remained frozen to the spot. Malloy tugged on her uniform to straighten it and then ran hands over her head to smooth her red hair which trailed down her back in a long braid. He watched as she turned and lifted herself to a seated position on the table, legs crossed and swinging. She picked up a folder from the top of the stack and paged through it. After a moment, she returned it to pile and sighed.

Her gaze shifted toward the supply crates. Toynbee felt his stomach twist as she spotted him. Malloy blinked in surprise and tilted her head slightly, brow creased. Then, to the Private's complete astonishment, she smiled at him. It was simple and friendly but it made Toynbee's legs feel a bit unsteady.

Malloy seemed to be about to say something to him, when another voice called out.

"Hey, Pudding Brain," Barnes called from the rear door, "Let's go... River and Jack are ready to review the plan for tomorrow."

Malloy gave Barnes an annoyed look, "Yeah, yeah. I'm coming."

She gave Toynbee another quick grin, then hopped off the table and headed out. Toynbee could hear her scolding Barnes as they left.

"And who are you calling 'pudding brain'? I told you one Rimmer is enough..."

The door closed behind the pair and Toynbee let out a breath he had not realized he had been holding. He rose to stand, bracing himself against the supply crates, still feeling a bit stunned. He could not quite believe what had just happened. There had been no anger, no disgust. Not even a flinch. The young woman had just... smiled at him. His face still felt hot and he shook his head, trying to clear it.

From the front doors, Private 'Haze' Smith entered the building. Toynbee barely noticed until the other Private spoke.

"Oh, hey," Haze said, "Thought I'd find you here. Summers was looking for you."

"Yeah..." Toynbee replied, still staring toward the rear door, "I was just... with the supplies... for the research team... bringing stuff over."

Haze gave Toynbee a quizzical look, "You alright, man? You're acting like you got hit in the head or something."

Toynbee blinked and shook his head, "No. Sorry. I was just here as the researchers were coming in. And... then there was this girl... she's their clerk... she smiled and..."

"Oooh," Haze said with a grin, folding his arms, "Now I get it. Was she pretty?"

Toynbee scowled at him, "No. I mean, yes. I guess. I don't know."

"Well," Haze said, "Maybe this assignment will be more interesting than we thought if they're bringing pretty ladies in to camp. Though any femalewould be an improvement on all us grunts, huh?"

As Toynbee continued to scowl, the other Private laughed and jerked his head toward the door.

"Come on, man," he said, "We got a brief with Fury before getting together with these researchers. And now I can't wait to meet your girl."

"She's _not _my girl," Toynbee protested.

"Okay fine," Haze replied, "I'll take her off your hands then."

"What, no! That's not what I meant!" Toynbee replied and, realizing Haze was teasing him, muttered "Oh, shut up..."

Haze continued to chuckle as he followed Toynbee out into the mid-day heat.


	6. Chapter 6

Alex walked ahead of the two researchers he and Haze were escorting along a flat stretch of river bed. It had been three days since the team had arrived and Alex had begun to wonder if Professor Song planned to do more than just walk about and take notes. The squad had not done much beyond follow River Song and Sergeant Barnes around in circles.

Alex paused in his stride and wiped his brow. He glanced back and saw Professor Song intently examining the large wrist strap she wore. Barnes stood nearby, scanning the far tree line silently. He never said much from what Alex had observed but at least Barnes seemed to be a trained soldier. Professor Song walked around the jungle like she owned the place, self-assured and apparently unconcerned with the potential threat from hidden Charlies. Haze brought up the rear of their party, looking cautious and unassuming as always.

Professor Song sighed, using a pencil to make notes in a small black pad. She spotted Alex watching her and walked toward him.

"Well?" River Song asked the mutant soldier, "What do you think?"

Alex frowned, "Ma'am?"

River pushed a lock of curled hair from her face and folded her arms.

"What do you think of this place?" she asked, vaguely.

"I'm not sure what you mean," Alex replied.

"You've been here for quite a while, Private Summers," she said with an odd grin, "What do you think of it?"

Alex shook his head and shrugged, "I don't know. It's hot... lots of bugs... can't get a good cheeseburger anywhere..."

River's grin widened, an almost impish gleam in her eye. There was something very strange about this woman but Alex could not say what. He wondered, not for the first time, if she was a mutant herself and testing him for some reason. There was a hardness about her that Alex would have expected from a combat veteran, not a scientist.

"I mean about Vietnam," she replied, "Do you think your time here has had some value? How will people in the future remember this point in history?"

Alex recoiled slightly, taking a moment to collect himself before he replied.

"I think those are loaded questions, Ma'am," he said, starting to walk forward again. River followed and kept pace at his side.

"I think everyone hopes their existence has some kind of purpose," River continued, her casual tone contrasting her words, "That there is meaning behind all this conflict and suffering..."

Alex's face creased in a frown but he did not reply.

"And what about mutants?" River asked, "Do you think the existence of mutants has a purpose? Or was it all just a random jumbling of DNA?"

Alex shook his head again, "You're askin' the wrong guy, Professor," a small smile crept onto his lips as he continued, "Actually...there's another professor I know who you'd be better off talking with about that stuff."

River raised her eyebrows curiously, then pursed her lips.

"No one seems to talk about it," she said, "About your mutations that is..."

Despite the Private's obvious discomfort, River prodded on.

"What is it you can do?" she asked.

"It's... it's hard to explain," Alex replied, quickly losing patience with the woman's line of questions.

"Would you give me a demonstration?" River asked.

"No," he said, "Not when there's no reason. We're not a side show, Professor Song."

A long stretch of silence lingered between them. The flowing waters to their left churned gently toward a ravine that currently separated their party from the main camp.

"I apologize if I seem crass," River finally said, "But I happen to believe that mutant powers manifested in this world for a reason, Private Summers."

Alex stopped his stride again and looked at her. The Professor seemed sincere but Alex had encountered enough over zealous scientists curious about his mutation to be cautious.

"You may find," she continued, "that you and your comrades were _meant_ to be here."

River gave him a soft smile and then called back to the others.

"I think I have what we need for the day. Why don't we head back camp."

Barnes and Haze nodded, moving past Alex to follow after Professor Song. Alex lingered, thinking on the Professor's words. He and many of Charles Xavier's students had been drafted, a factor that lead to the closure of the School for the Gifted. He looked around at the foreign terrain and did wonder what history would remember of this place. Specifically, if it would tell about the mutants who served in this war.

* * *

Rebecca Malloy tapped keys on the typewriter before her with agitation. The machine had not seemed like it should be difficult to use. However, after three days in the clerks' office, she realized the ancient transcribing device would never be her ally.

Still, she tried to coerce the piece of metal to work with encouraging words as if it was a computer with a senile AI system.

"Oh, come on, typewriter," she muttered, tapping intensifying, "Come on. I just need an 'A'. It's the first letter of the alphabet. Not that hard. Just give me an 'A'. Come on... _oh smeg _now that's too many 'A's. _Aaaarg... why do you hate me so much?!_"

The clerks' office buzzed with activity, a dozen more typewriters clacking and personnel moving about completing their daily work.

A young woman with blonde hair sitting to Malloy's right gave her a sympathetic smile. She had a patch on the arm of her green uniform jacket emblazoned with a red cross, the word NURSE written in white in the center. Her name was Irene Fielding and she had been Malloy's desk neighbor since the head clerk had assigned the spot.

Malloy "aaaarged" again and smacked her forehead into the keyboard.

"I don't think that's going to help," Irene said, her voice melodic with a formal English accent. She had an unusual inflection, drawing her words out with precise annunciation. Malloy thought it made her sound a bit flighty but the other woman was much more adept at her duties than Malloy could ever hope to be.

Malloy raised her head with a defeated sigh.

"Yeah, I know," she agreed, "But makes me feel a little better."

"_Really?_" the other woman asked, sounding innocently shocked.

"No," Malloy admitted, rubbing the impact spot above her left eye, "Not really."

"Oh, good," Irene said with a nod, "If you _had_ been _serious_, I would need to report you to the staff psychologist."

Malloy grinned at this idea, considering her problematic memory and that she was a time traveler from the future.

"That would be a trip," she said, then added in a gruff voice, "_Wait'll they get a load of me._"

Irene frowned, "What?"

"You know," Malloy said, "From Batman. Jack Nicholson."

"You mean that television program with the dancing man in the cape?" Irene asked, "I didn't know Jack Nicholson appeared in that."

Malloy's eyes widened, realizing her mistake. Trying to keep her references to popular culture within the correct time frame had been another big challenge. She hoped River did find the rift activity soon so her smegging memory would improve.

"Oh, no, sorry," Malloy said quickly, "I... must have confused Nicholson for that other guy on the show."

Irene blinked with surprise, "You mean that little chap in red? You confused _him_ with _Jack Nicholson_?"

"I guess so," Malloy said, giving the other woman an embarrassed smile.

"Are you sure you don't need to see one of the doctors?" Irene asked with genuine worry.

Malloy bit her lip to hold back a fit of giggles. Irene had been incredibly nice and unceasingly helpful these past days. She did not want to insult the other woman by laughing at her concern.

"No, I'm fine, really," Malloy said, leaning back in her chair and waving a hand at her nemesis "It's just _this thing_. I don't know what I'm doing wrong."

Irene reach over and turned Malloy's typewriter around to examine it. The young woman pointed down into the machine's exposed parts.

"The tape has broken," Irene said, "Oh, dear. I'd give you a replacement but I used my last one this morning. You could ask someone from supplies to bring more over..."

"Nah, I'll just take a walk over there," Malloy said, getting to her feet, "I need to stretch my legs anyway."

Irene pulled a paper from a drawer and passed it to her, "Don't forget a requisition form."

"Right, more forms," Malloy said, "Thanks, Irene."

"You're welcome," Irene replied in her sing song voice and again began rapidly typing as Malloy heading out of the clerks' office toward Shed 4.

* * *

Ink took a long drag on his cigarette as he leaned against the handle of the supply cart. Fury had assigned him to help distribute provisions for the day and he was bored out of his mind. Ink would have preferred to be out in the field with Summers and Haze but instead was stuck here being one of the camp gophers. Luckily, Toynbee pretty much took care of all the requisition orders which meant Ink was able to relax a bit out of the mid-day heat.

It seemed like the next couple weeks were going to end up being a total drag. He was still pissed off at the research team and those dickheads in command for delaying his discharge home. Especially since it looked like he would be stuck with these peon duties for the rest of the time.

Ink opened his right hand and examined the inside of his palm. The bio-hazard symbol was only one of the tattoos imprinted on his body that triggered his mutant abilities. But right now, we was wishing he had gotten one more.

_Marilyn Monroe_, Ink thought with a sigh, _Or Natalie Wood. I should'a got a tattoo of one of them. Maybe I'd be able to call up one of those vixens every night..._

His daydream was interrupted as Toynbee shoved into the shed with his own supply cart. He spotted Ink's cigarette and scowled.

"You're not suppose to smoke in here," Toynbee remarked, rolling his cart toward the back wall.

Ink took another drag and glared at the other Private, "Deal with it, Toad. It's hot as hell outside."

"And what if Fury walks in?" Toynbee asked before leaping upward and landing deftly on the top of a stack of large wooden crates.

"To hell with Fury," Ink grumbled, dropping the cigarette butt to the ground and stamping it into the dirt floor, "You got the clip board? What's next on the list? I wanna get this shit done and get to the mess hall."

"It's on the cart," Toynbee called from his perch then added, "You got the pry bar?"

Ink grabbed a long metal tool from a nearby shelf and tossed it upwards. Toynbee opened his mouth and his long tongue shot out, snatching the bar just before it hit the floor.

"Whoa, easy there, soldier," a new voice said and the two mutants looked toward the shed door with surprise. For one terrified moment, Ink had a vision of Fury finding the discarded cigarette butt before he realized a female voice was speaking.

Malloy continued, looking up at Toynbee with an amused grin, "You could take somebody's eye out like that."

The goggled young man was stunned, the pry bar across his open mouth. When he tried to speak, it clattered from his tongue and fell to the floor.

"Sorry," Malloy said, picking up the tool and handing it back to him, "I didn't mean to startle you guys."

Toynbee reached down and took the bar, stammering quickly, "S'alright. Didn't hear you come in is all. No big deal."

Ink rolled his eyes and, sounding irritated, asked, "Did you need something?"

"Just some typewriter tape," Malloy said, "Mine broke and I..."

"I can grab it for you," Toynbee said quickly. Malloy watched him with surprise as he leaped down from the crates and landed easily in a crouch. He walked toward the back of the shed and disappeared behind a row of shelves.

Glancing back up at the height Toynbee had come from, Malloy asked Ink curiously, "Is that his mutation? To jump like that?"

Ink narrowed his eyes suspiciously. He did not trust Malloy, or any of the research team. They had been respectful to the squad, never seeming to care about working with mutants versus normal soldiers. But he was sure they had some other agenda. Why bother trying to be chummy with the freaks unless there was some secret motive.

"Yeah," Ink replied to the woman, "That and the tongue. That's why we call him Toad. He does... toady things."

Malloy nodded, not reacting to the man's coarse tone, "Right. The code names. Summers told me about that. Or... what do you guys call him?... Havok. And your's is..."

"Ink," the Private shot back, raising his tattooed arms, and adding, "Obviously."

With a wry grin, Malloy folded her arms and asked, "So, what can you do then? Make poorly drawn dolphins appear on the asses of drunk co-eds?"

Her unexpected quip left him speechless for a moment and, before he could reply, Toynbee appeared again carrying the requested supplies.

"Thanks, Toynbee," Malloy said, exchanging the box for her requisition form. She glanced between the two men and added with smile, "Gentlemen...see ya around."

The two mutants watched her leave the shed without further comment. Toynbee looked rather pleased with himself and began loading boxes onto Ink's cart. Ink, on the other hand, looked more annoyed then ever.

"Well," he said, "Ain't she a pain in the ass."

His cohort glared at him in response. At least, Ink assumed he was glaring. Never knew for sure with those stupid goggles on his face.

"You know what I think?" Toynbee shot back, continuing to move supplies.

"Don't care," Ink replied, grabbing his clip board.

"_I think_..." Toynbee continued, "...she's a mutant."

"You think _any girl_ who talks to you must be a mutant," Ink mocked, "News flash, Toad. She might'a just needed some tape. And she talked to you all nicely so she could get it."

Toynbee scowled again but did not reply. Ink checked over his next payload and tossed the clip board aside. With a shove, he got the cart rolling and knocked open the shed doors, leaving Toynbee to brood on his own.

The sun was hot and Ink thought about heading back to his bunk for a hat. He rubbed one of the lightning bolt tattoos on his scalp and then paused.

_Don't screw it up this time_. The words echoed in his head clearly, as if someone had spoken them in his ear. As the bio-hazard symbol on his palm could make people sick, the lightning bolts some times let him hear other people's thoughts.

_It's gotta work, _the voice continued, _The sensor will trigger when the mutants are near and then I'll have ten minutes to get out..._

"What the hell?" Ink said aloud to no one. He stood confused in the middle of the road, touching his scalp tattoo and trying to listen for other foreign voices in his mind. The blaring horn of a passing jeep jerked him back to reality and the telepathic sensation was gone.

Ink got the cart moving forward again toward his destination. He was not sure if what he had just sensed was real but he knew he needed to report it to Summers as soon as his squad leader returned to camp.


	7. Chapter 7

"Nothing?" Jack Harkness asked.

"Nothing," River Song confirmed. She looked frustrated as she tapped her fingers repeatedly against the pile of notes spread across the table. She wore a pair of wire rimmed glasses that complimented her Professor persona.

Jack and River sat alone in the barracks reviewing information that had been gathered over the past few days. It was now the morning of their fifth day on Earth. The ship's computer was continuing to monitor rift activity in their immediate area, reporting a steady increase since their arrival in Vietnam. However, their excursions had so far proved fruitless in pinpointing where the rift was occurring.

Jack leaned forward on his elbows and rubbed his brow.

"We must be missing something," he said, then glanced back toward River, "Are you sure the computer's readings are correct? Maybe we're in the wrong spot?"

"It's never let me down before," River replied, "Rifts are not subtle phenomenon."

"Which is why..." Jack said, motioning toward the notes, "This whole lot of nothing doesn't make a whole lot of sense. We should have found something by now. And, if the rift reading are correct, and this thing is growing, we're going to have much bigger problems very, _very_ soon."

River nodded and sighed, "Well, I'm open to suggestions."

"I don't know," Jack said, and added after a moment's thought, "We could try using Barnes or Malloy..."

River gave him a skeptical and slightly chastising glare.

"Don't give me that look," Jack responded with a frown.

"No?" River asked sweetly, "How about this one?"

She lowered her glasses to look over them and pursed her lips, looking even more dubious and annoyed.

Jack held his hands up defensively, "Hey, now, you said you were open to suggestions."

River readjusted her spectacles, "Yes, but I _know _what you're suggesting and it's a bit mad. Using those two to locate the rift before we even know how powerful it is..."

"The closer we get," Jack interrupted, "The more likely the chance their memories would start to return. If that happens, we'll know where to focus our search."

"And you don't think that might lead us to... _'bigger problems'_?" she asked.

"Not if we're careful, no," Jack countered, then added hesitantly, "We have ways to subdue both of them if we need to."

River did not respond immediately to that. She knew in the past Jack Harkness had sacrificed people...friends... for a greater good. But she also knew those actions would haunt him for the eternity of his long life.

"Well," she finally said, "Why don't we ask them? Get their opinions about it?"

Looking at her appreciatively, he nodded and said, "That would be fair. We can't tell them about their pasts, at least we can respect them enough to be honest about what we need to do now."

Jack stood, placing a hat marked with the rank of Captain on his head.

"I'll head over to the clerk's office to catch Malloy before lunch," he said, then added with a coy grin, "I'll stop by and talk to that alluring head clerk. He won't mind if I need to take Malloy off duty for a few days..."

"Stop it," River said without looking at him.

Jack blinked innocently, "Stop what?"

River smiled and shrugged, "My husband told me to say that to you if you were getting too _flirty_..."

"Ha," Jack scoffed, "_Too flirty?_ No such thing..."

* * *

Alex and Ink stood at attention as Sergeant Fury paced around his office. Ink had reviewed the telepathic message he intercepted and now they waited for orders on how to proceed.

Fury paused in his stride and shook his head, "It's not much to go on. Are you sure these were thoughts from an outside source?"

"Yes, sir," Ink replied, irritation in his voice, "_The sensor will trigger when the mutants are near._ That's what it said. I'm _near mutants_ all the time so if I had a _trigger _it would have..."

"Stow it, Glitter," Alex ordered, cutting him off before Ink got reprimanded by their Sergeant.

Fury glanced between the two men with a frown, then moved behind his desk and looked out small window.

"If what you heard was truly a threat," Fury said, "It's not going to be easy to investigate its origin. Unless you happen to sense some additional information before this _sensor_ is _triggered_..."

"We can't just let it go, sir," Alex said, "Not when the message seems to describe something like what we found in the jungle."

"That's a fairly big assumption, Summers," Fury replied, turning back toward the two soldiers, "While I agree that this threat should be explored, it's going to be difficult for me to explain to command the need for a shakedown of the whole camp based simply on Glitter's premonition."

Ink shifted on his feet and scowled. Alex could almost hear the other soldier grinding his teeth as Fury continued.

"For now, discrete monitoring may be the best course of action," Fury said, "If there _is_ a rat in our nest, he doesn't know Glitter heard him squeak. I'll brief the Colonel asap and pass on his orders. In the meantime, keep your third ear open, Glitter, and report anything else you pick up to me immediately. Does Professor Song's team have an excursion planned for today?"

"No, sir," Alex replied and Fury nodded.

"Fine. Then keep to scheduled duties and keep your speculations under wraps," the Sergeant ordered before dismissing them.

* * *

Malloy was having a good morning as she enjoyed breakfast in the mess hall with Irene. By some miracle, a shipment of doughnuts had made it to camp. After a week of army rations, the pastries were manna from heaven. She was stuffing her face cheerfully when Irene leaned close to her.

"Have you noticed..." the blonde nurse whispered, "...those Privates have been staring at us since they sat down..."

"Whaa?" Malloy said, finishing her latest bite. She glanced over to where Irene was looking and spotted two familiar faces seated at a table on the other side of the hall.

"Oh, those guys," Malloy said with a grin, "They're in the squad assigned to my team."

She gave the duo a quick wave. Haze returned it and her grin while Toynbee seemed startled by the acknowledgment.

Irene's eyes widened, "You're working with _them_?"

"_Yeah..._" Malloy responded, stretching the word out with confusion, "But you're making it sound very dramatic."

"Oh... well..." Irene stammered, then apologetically, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to be rude. It's just... not many people in camp are comfortable working with... well... with..."

"Mutants," Malloy finished, "Do their mutations bother you?"

Irene suddenly looked insulted, "_Absolutely not._ Mutations are a perfectly normal aberration of human genetic structure."

The pairing of 'normal' and 'abberation' made Malloy grin as the army nurse continued.

"It's like... having haemophilia... or red hair..."

"Gee thanks," Malloy replied, saluting her friend with the end of her auburn braid.

"_What are they like_?" Irene asked in a low voice, leaning in with wide-eyed interest.

Malloy regarded the other woman, feeling amused at Irene's ardor. She really did not understand the stigma against mutants in this world. Maybe working with holograms, super soldiers and a man who could not die made extraordinary powers just plain ordinary.

"Come on," Malloy replied, standing with her food tray, "I'll introduce you..."

"Oh...oh..." Irene stammered again, glancing around uncertainly before following, "Alright..."

As the ladies approached the other table, Haze greeted them with another broad grin.

"Morning," Malloy said, "Mind if we join you guys?"

"Not at all," Haze responded, waving a hand in the direction of the benches across from him and Toynbee.

"Thanks," she responded, then began pleasantries, "Irene, this is..."

"Johnson Smith," Haze finished quickly, extending out a hand toward the blonde.

Irene gave him a quizzical look as she shook his hand.

"Of course, I know that already," she said, and then reprimanded Malloy, "Rebecca, I _am_ assistant to the head nurse. I know the names and details of nearly everyone in camp. I met Private Smith and Private Toynbee when they first arrived in Saigon. Though I suppose they may not remember me..."

"I do," Haze added as the two women sat down, "You told me my hair reminded you of an Asian Lady Beetle."

Malloy raised a curious eyebrow as the nurse's eyes lit up with unexpected delight.

"Yes, indeed! I do so enjoy the fauna of this area. Particularly the insects. Such a spectrum of colors and textures."

"I thought girls didn't like bugs," Toynbee spoke for the first time.

"I suppose..." Irene responded, "But I find some species quite fascinating."

Malloy watched the conversation unfold silently. This was going better than she had hoped. Irene chattered on about jungle bugs and Haze listened as a dreamy smile passed over his face. Malloy wondered if she may have inadvertently reconnected him with a long forsaken crush. Irene's manner was so matter-of-fact, Malloy doubted the other woman noticed Haze's expression.

A short time later, their meal was interrupted as another soldier walked up to their party, the chevrons of a Corporal on his shoulder. Two Privates stood on either side of him, each with a vicious sneer. Malloy narrowed her eyes as the Corporal addressed them in a tone she immediately disliked.

"_Excuse me_," the Corporal said, "Are these men bothering you?"

Haze and Toynbee visibly tensed as the man leaned forward on the table across from Irene. The nurse frowned with innocent confusion and shook her head.

Not at all, Corporal Rand," she replied, "Malloy and I were just having an interesting conversation with these chaps about..."

"_Because,_" Rand cut in, "They _are_ bothering me. So I though they must be bothering you two... _lovely ladies._"

"Sorry, sir," Haze said evenly, "No bother meant. The ladies asked to join us and we..."

"Did I give you permission to speak, soldier?" Rand hissed. Haze swallowed hard, trying to keep his composure. Malloy guessed this was not his first run in with the obnoxious smeghead.

"Now, really," Irene said, "Is that necessary, Corporal? I think it's quite apparent that these men were not doing anything to disrupt your morning."

"Well," Rand sneered again, "Maybe... I just don't like them, or mouthy women who hang out with muties."

Toynbee jerked as if to get to his feet but Haze restrained him with a firm grip on the other mutant's arm. Rand laughed and then turned his eyes toward Malloy.

What about you?" he asked, "You like fraternizing with muties? Or do you wanna spend some time with some real men?"

The covert fire starter gave him a slow insolent smile, "No thanks. I only like _fraternizing_ with men who aren't obviously complete assholes."

Her vulgar response seemed to catch the Corporal off guard. She spotted Haze give her a quick, warning shake of the head. Rand stood up straight and glared at her.

"_Fine_," he said, "You dumb broads wanna associate with _freaks_, that's your problem. At least the freaks know their place... right, Private?"

"Whatever you say, sir," Haze responded, not rising to the other man's bait.

"Always cool as a cucumber, huh, Smith?" Rand said, "Here... why don't you keep this on ice..."

Rand snatched Irene's cup and, before the nurse could protest, dumped the water over Haze's head. Toybnee again looked like he wanted to leap to his feet but his compatriot's hand still had a firm hold on his forearm.

As Rand and his two cronies laughed, Irene stood, her eyes blazing with indignation. The normally mild English nurse's anger was a stunning sight to behold.

"_You...sir..._" she said to Rand, "...a_re repugnant!"_

She made her final word sound like the most insulting term in her arsenal and Malloy was tempted to applaud. The 'repugnant' men continued to laugh as they walked off, not at all fazed by the nurse's criticism.

Irene's ire faded as quickly as it appeared and she moved around the table toward Haze.

"Oh, dear," she said with care, "Private Smith... you are utterly soaked."

Haze wiped a hand over his face and gave her an embarrassed smile, "That's okay. It's gonna be hot today anyway."

"Nonsense," Irene said, tugging his arm, "Come with me and I'll get you sorted with a new shirt."

Haze, looking surprised by her consideration, allowed himself to be pulled along toward the mess hall exit.

Malloy watched them go and then turned back to Toynbee. The remaining soldier's visible face was flushed with both rage and humiliation, his fists clenched against the table. She had never seen him like his before. Their only interaction prior to this meal had been while he was on duty with the squad. The intensity of his anger was as unexpected as Irene's had been.

"That happen a lot?" Malloy finally asked.

Toynbee took a long, controlled breath before answering her question.

"Just when Fury and Summers aren't around," he said, not meeting her gaze, "It usually just Rand, though he always brings along one or two other twonks with 'im."

Malloy did not reply as the young man spoke, though she did note a change in his accent as he vented.

"He makes up things to report about us too," Toynbee continued, "... And nobody ever believes us over 'im or his men. They just lie and get away with it."

"_Do they_?" Malloy asked, "You'd think..._smart_ guys like that... should know what happens to liars..."

Toynbee raised his goggled eyes up to her uncertainly. Malloy looked over his shoulder and he turned around toward where Rand stood with his men. The Corporal leaned against another table, looming over a new female target with a smarmy grin. Malloy narrowed her eyes.

The rear of Rand's trousers started smoking and he yelped as a small flame erupted on his posterior. He spun in a panicked circle before falling to the floor and rolling to extinguish his burning pants. Malloy controlled the heat easily, not wanting to do more than give the smeghead a scorched ass.

Toynbee whipped his head back around and gaped at her. Malloy sat back, holding a finger in front of her lips and winking.

For the first time since they met, Malloy saw Toynbee's face break into a real smile.


	8. Chapter 8

Later that morning, Barnes and Malloy walked along the central dirt road dividing the base camp toward the clerk's office. River and Jack had just reviewed with them (and a projected hologram of Rimmer) the new proposal to locate the temporal disruption using their memories as a sort of rift radar.

Malloy and Rimmer had been all for it, not seeing any downside to Malloy recovering knowledge of her past. As the hologram put it, "If it's the cure for her inane questions about 1970s musical bands and other _popular culture smeg_ of this era, then all the better so we can _finally_ stick to the training schedule."

Barnes had also agreed to the plan, keeping his true reservations to himself. He understood the importance of locating the rift. He did not want to put lives at risk because of his own hesitation. However, the idea of losing the comfortable mental fog shrouding his past was terrifying. Bucky Barnes did not want to remember what HYDRA had done... what _he_ had done.

Though his face remained neutral, Malloy must have noticed something was off and she glanced at him with concern.

"So, what do you think?" she asked, her tone a forced casual.

Barnes gave her a wan but reassuring smile and shrugged, "I guess it makes sense. Doesn't seem like they have much else to go on. What do you think about going out in the field with us?"

"It sounds great after sitting on my butt behind a desk all week," Malloy replied, "Though I think me and the typewriter have come to an understanding. It types the letters I want and I promise not to smash it with a hammer."

Barnes chuckled as they continued on down the path. The camp was active today, more soldiers and personnel than usual crowding between the half dome buildings. The pair had to dodge around the opposing foot traffic and motor vehicles trudging down the uneven road.

As a small group of service men passed, Barnes overheard a bit of their conversation.

"Yeah, it was hysterical," one of the soldiers said, "Rand's just standing there chatting up this chick and, all of a sudden, his butt just starts burning. Tripp said he musta had his Zippo in his back pocket or something and it just blew. Saw him sprawled out in the medical bay, ass up and complaining..."

Barnes heard Malloy snort as she failed to suppress a laugh. She covered her mouth and looked up at him guiltily.

"_Really?_" Barnes asked with mild accusation.

Malloy shrugged, "Just cause some smeghead's ass catches on fire doesn't mean I did it."

Barnes stared at her reproachfully and, after a moment, she relented.

"Okay, okay, it was me. But he deserved it," Malloy said, then added, "Man, I am _really_ bad at this secret agent thing, aren't I?"

Barnes smile faded slightly at her words. He was thinking again of his own role with HYDRA and what things he might have done as a 'secret agent'.

From the other side of the camp, Irene Fielding came running up with an armload of boxes.

"Oh, Malloy, there you are," she said with mild relief, "Would you mind terribly helping me bring these to the medical bay? I could manage but I'd like to stop by stores for more syringes."

"Sure," Malloy replied, taking part of the load, "Barnes, can you let the others know I'll be back in a few?"

Barnes nodded and watched the two women walk away as the loud thump of helicopter blades roared overhead.

* * *

In the lot behind Shed 4, Toynbee was sorting through crates of machine parts he was scheduled to deliver to the air strip by mid afternoon. He was making good time getting things in order, even though his mind kept wandering back to the events of breakfast. Every time he thought of Rand's smug face melting into a squawk of alarm, he grinned.

Toynbee could not wait to tell Ink and the other guys that he had been right. Malloy _was _a mutant. What else would explain what happened to Rand? Maybe he should tell Sergeant Fury too. Maybe that is why Professor Song's research team had been assigned to work with them. Maybe they were all mutants.

He was so preoccupied with these musings, Toynbee did not notice Malloy and the blonde nurse Irene approaching from the road.

"Hello again, Private!" Irene called over the noise of aircraft. Toynbee started at the sound of her voice and turned, knocking over a tin he had been using to collect nails from opened crates.

"Oh, dear, we didn't mean to give you a fright," Irene said as Toynbee crouched to pick up the scattered metal.

Malloy set down the boxes she held and knelt to help him. They exchanged furtive looks, for the time being still sharing the secret of Rand's butt. Malloy smirked as Irene continued to speak above them.

"So sorry to bother you," the nurse said, "But we're in need of syringes in the medical bay. It's so busy today, I thought it would save a trip if we stopped here and picked them up..."

Toynbee and Malloy stood, and the Private nodded.

"Bunch of medical stuff just came in," he said, moving around the crates toward the shed door. After a minute or so, he returned with three smallish boxes labeled with a red cross.

Irene looked appreciative and said, "Wonderful. You can put them right on top of my bundle here and we can be off."

Toynbee hesitated and suddenly got a daring idea. Fury would have his hide on KP duty for a month if he found out. But, after this morning's events, he was feeling bold.

"I could give you a ride," he blurted out before he lost his nerve, "I've got the squad's jeep today. I'm only supposed to be using it to get the larger machine parts to the techs but... I could drive you over to the medi-bay... ya know... if you want..."

"Sure," Malloy agreed, "Thanks, Toynbee."

With happy enthusiasm, he lead the pair around the storage building to a moss colored vehicle parked in front. He motioned toward the jeep, failing to immediately notice a tarp covering the rear seats. A tarp neither he nor anyone else in his squad had put there.

"You can throw those boxes in back," Toynbee said, absently reaching for the heavy cloth, "One of you'll have to sit back here too but there should be enough room..."

Irene tilted her head curiously as the object beneath the tarp was revealed, "I don't think so. Not with that gadget taking up both seats."

"What..." Toynbee began to ask, then froze when he recognized the explosives.

A rectangular metal box shone dully in the mid-day sun. On its surface was a white, egg-shaped object with five vertical red lights as well as a clock with rotating numbers. Toynbee watched with growing horror as the digits, starting at 10:00, began to turn. 9:59... 9:58... 9:57...

"What's in there?" Malloy asked. Toynbee looked at her and, even though his eyes were shielded, his fear was unmistakeable.

"It's... a bomb. And... I think we just triggered the countdown..."

Malloy dropped her bundle and moved next to him to see the device.

"_Oh, smeg_," she said, "Where the hell did that come from?!"

"I don't think we have time to ask around about it," Irene replied, clutching the syringe boxes to her chest, "If that timer is accurate, it's going to go off in ten minutes..."

"9 minutes 43 seconds," Malloy corrected then grabbed the nurse by the arm and told her, "Irene, I need you to go find Captain Jack or Sergeant Fury. Tell them what we found..."

"But... But, Rebecca, I..." Irene stammered.

"Go, quick! We'll handle things here," Malloy urged her on. The other woman nodded and took off running toward the command bunkers.

Malloy tugged on Toynbee's sleeve urgently, "Get in. You're driving."

"_What?_" he asked with confusion, "We can't..."

Malloy gripped him by the shoulders. He could feel the heat from her hands through his shirt. He might have enjoyed the contact if there had not been a ticking bomb nearby.

"Listen," she said, "You know I'm kind of a mutant. The Rand thing was just a bad joke but I think I might be able to control an explosion. In case I can't, we gotta get this thing as far away from camp as possible. You know this area way better than me. We've got about what... maybe nine minutes now... to drive as far and fast as possible away from all these people."

Toynbee did not know how to respond, his mind on overload. Part of him wanted to run, to get away from the threat. That was one of the ways he had survived being a mutant since he was old enough to know he could flee the orphanage in York. But another part of him wanted to help, to be useful, to have a purpose, prove his past tormentors wrong.

When he hesitated, Malloy released him from her grip and stepped back.

"I know you don't know me," she said, "A bunch of outsiders show up at your army base and their secretary wants you to drive off with her and car load of explosives. It's crazy! And you've got no reason to trust me. But I wanna try and contain this if I can. If you don't want to come then just tell me where I can..."

"I trust you," Toynbee said, cutting her off. Malloy looked surprised. 'Toad' understood her reaction. His words surprised him too. He did not really trust anyone, not even his mutant teammates to a point. So he was not sure why he just blurted out such certainty about her.

With a quick jump over the side, Toynbee settled in the driver's seat and reached over to shove open the passenger side door. Malloy ran quickly around the vehicle, sat to his right and slammed the door closed.

As he started the ignition, Toynbee asked, "Where are we gonna go?"

"As far as we can take this thing," Malloy said as the mutant soldier got the jeep moving, "Somewhere that's protected, shielded, like a cave or something?"

Toynbee steered the vehicle skillfully through the camp and had an idea.

"There's a ravine," he said, "Before you reach the river. It's just a big ditch really but..."

"That'll have to work," Malloy replied and glanced back at their unwelcome burden, "About eight minutes... think you can get us there by then?"

Toynbee gave her a doubtful glance and floored the gas. Malloy tapped her wrist strap device and spoke into it as they sped off.

"Bucky?" she said, "Can you hear me? We have a problem..."


	9. Chapter 9

Alex walked from the ammunition depot with Ink and Haze tailing him, the spiked mutant talking cheerily (for not the first time this morning) about his encounter with the blonde nurse. He was not sure which was funnier, Haze's enthusiasm or Ink's pleading for him to shut up about it.

Despite the activity in camp, it was a pretty light work day for them. It was not often their group had such mundane, non-military things to discuss either, especially the topic of girls. After years of enlisted service, females were nearly a foreign species.

It was doubly rare for them to encounter the female in question twice in the same day. But, as Haze chatted on, Alex spotted nurse Irene darting through the crowd. She looked frantic, her eyes wide against her pale face.

"Fielding!" Haze called from behind Alex, having spotted the young woman as well, "Hey, Irene!"

The agitated nurse spun around in a full circle before spotting the three men. As she began to shove her way across the busy road, Ink suddenly let out a yelp of alarm. Alex turned to see his teammate fall to his knees, clutching the sides of his head.

Alex and Haze crouched next to him, their hands on his shoulders to keep Ink from sprawling on his face.

"_Too soon..."_ the tattooed mutant gasped, lightning bolts behind his temples vibrating, "_Someone is... it can't detonate yet... too soon... he's yelling... saying too soon... you set it up too soon..._"

The other two soldiers locked eyes for a moment in fear as Ink heaved out the words that seemed to be blazing in his mind.

The soldier's hands hit the ground and he breathed heavily, "_Too soon... too soon..._"

* * *

Barnes listened to Malloy explain the situation over his wrist communicator, shoving out of the barrack doors to find an available transport.

"And where are you now?" he asked, failing to wave down a passing jeep.

"On the road, heading out of camp... there are trees... some grass... whoa, just missed a big rock..." Malloy replied unhelpfully.

Barnes rolled his eyes, "Never mind, I'll track you with the wrist strap."

He waved a hand over his head and another jeep went by without slowing down.

"I'll meet you at the ravine," he said, watching a third transport approach. It was clear this driver also had no intention of stopping as Barnes signaled to him.

Malloy voice crackled over the communicator, "_What?_ No, don't..."

Her voice was cut off as Barnes slammed his cybernetic left arm down and grabbed the front of the jeep, the squeal of metal on metal covering her words. The Private who had been driving gaped in shock as his ride lurched and halted. Barnes gave the youth an apologetic smile.

"I need to commandeer this vehicle, son," he said, "Get out."

The Private scrambled from the driver's seat and took several panicked steps backward as Barnes jumped behind the wheel. Barnes drove off after his wayward crew mate and used his communication device to update Jack and River to the situation.

* * *

Alex and Haze still knelt beside Ink as Irene reached their position and lowered herself to the ground to check his condition.

"What happened to him?" she asked, helping the fallen man return to a kneeling position. She drew a handkerchief from her jacket, wiped his face and tried to check his pulse before he waved her off.

"I'm okay, I'm okay," Ink panted, "It was just..."

He paused and glanced at Alex. Alex gave a nod of encouragement to indicate Ink should be open about his telepathic power in the nurse's presence.

"...another message," he continued, "Or whatever the hell you want to call it. Just like before..."

Upon the word 'message', Irene bolted to her feet and inhaled sharply.

"Oh, yes," she said, "I had an urgent message for your Sergeant as well. Toynbee found something in the back of your squad jeep. He thinks it's a... well... a..."

"_Bomb_," Haze finished for her, his oddly color eyes swirling with distress as he pulled Ink to his feet.

Irene frowned at him and said fretfully, "Oh, then you knew about it already. Smith, you really _should have_ told Toynbee. The poor man was scared nearly to death..."

"No, no, no," Haze retorted, "We _didn't_ _know _about it. It's just Glitter gets psychic voices in his head sometimes and it's..."

"Too much to explain now," Alex interrupted, then asked, "Where is he? Where was Toynbee and the jeep?"

"At Shed 4," she said, "Shall I go on to report to Sergeant Fury? There was some kind of timer and..."

"Yeah, he should be in the command barracks," Alex said, sending Irene running to locate Fury.

"What do _we_ do then?" Haze asked, "Start evacuating people?"

Alex shook his head, at a loss about how to manage the sudden risk to the populated camp. Just beyond where they stood, people began to shout and jump out of the way as a jeep barreled down the lane. Alex caught the driver's look of recognition and Sergeant Barnes jerked the vehicle to a stop.

"Summers!" Barnes called, "Get in! We've gotta a pair of numskulls driving explosives toward the ravine. I think one belongs to you."

Without protest, Alex climbed into the jeep followed in quick order by Haze and Ink. Alex heard Barnes' wrist device announcing coordinates and directions as they headed out of camp.

* * *

Rebecca Malloy gripped the jeep's passenger seat with both hands as Toynbee navigated them along the uneven terrain toward the ravine. She glanced back at the bomb with growing anxiety, wondering if it had not been a totally stupid idea to take the thing on a bumpy joyride. She knew lots about fire but nothing about explosives. What pyrokinetic needed to know artificial ways to blow things up?

The timer ticked over from 5:00 to 4:59 as Toynbee pointed toward a shape taking form along side the road.

"There..." he said, returning his grip quickly to the wheel, "That's where it starts."

He steered them to the right and Malloy could see the spot in the earth where the ditch began. The tires slammed down from the upper ledge and rolled erratically over rocks and debris. The dirt on either side of them rose as the small chasm's floor became deeper.

"How far should we take it?" Toynbee asked, keeping his eyes on the makeshift road.

Malloy shrugged, "I guess up to the point where you can still jump out. I'll stay with the jeep and..."

"What?! I'm not gonna leave you in here!" Toynbee protested.

"I'll be fine!" Malloy shouted back, then added with less confidence, "I think. I need to try and contain the explosion!"

The sides of the ravine had risen to at least twelve feet high when Toynbee slammed the breaks, passenger side scrapping against the raised earth. Malloy winced as the bomb hit the back of her seat with a thump. The timer rolled over from 3:07 to 3:06 as the pair exited the vehicle through the driver's door.

"Okay," Malloy said, rubbing her hands together to mask her doubt, "No problem. Now I can just... UGH."

Her breath was expelled suddenly from her lungs as Toynbee wrapped both arms around her waist and leaped. Malloy had a spinning moment of vertigo as the soldier's strong legs propelled them toward the top of the ravine. They hit the ground hard, feet dangling over the edge. Malloy drew air back in her lungs as he released her and rolled away.

"_Smeg_," she swore hoarsely as she struggled to her feet.

Toynbee was already upright, more agile than his companion. He tugged her arm in a direction away from the pending blast zone. Once Malloy got her balance, she swatted at the soldier's grip with aggravation.

"What the hell are you doing?!" she shouted, "I need to stay and control the explosion! You need to get out of here now in case I can't!"

Toynbee scowled and shouted back, "I told you I'm not gonna leave you here!"

"There's no time to argue!" Malloy said, "There's only like a minute left and... _oh you have GOT to be kidding!_"

Malloy and Toynbee both spotted another vehicle heading in their direction carrying four familiar faces.

"_Malloy!_" Barnes' voice shouted as his party approached, "_Where's the bomb?_"

"_In the ravine, ya smeghead!_" she raged, "We brought it out here to get it _away_ from people! And you bring half the gang out for the show?!"

Barnes and the three mutant soldiers got out of the jeep and Malloy held up her hands.

"_Stop! Right there!_" she ordered and then looked at Toynbee desperately, "Tell them! Tell the squad what I can do! Tell them what you saw!"

Summers looked totally perplexed and said, "Private, report!"

Toynbee stepped quickly toward Summers and his words came out in a rush.

"She... she's a mutant, sir," he explained, "She can start fires or something. She set Rand's pants on fire this morning."

"That was you?" Ink asked Malloy, then added with a grin, "Right on."

"Yeah, yeah, groovy to the max, or whatever," she said, "That's why you guys need to get in that jeep and take off out of here! This thing is about to go off like...now and... _oh shit...like right now... hang on a sec..._"

Malloy turned and ran back toward the ledge. She held up her hands defensively just as the bomb detonated.

* * *

Captain Jack Harkness shielded his eyes from the bright flash on the horizon as he drove with Staff Sergeant Fury to reclaim their subordinates. Fury rolled the vehicle to a stop and stared toward the rising smoke. It was clear there had been an explosion but it had not behaved like a normal weapon detonation, the sound muffled without an accompanying shock wave. Still, it was big enough that the whole camp was probably on alert.

"If they were in proximity to that blast," Fury said darkly, "There may be nothing we can do for them."

Jack sighed and shook his head, "No, nothing we can do. But I have a feeling your soldiers will still be alive and well when we find them."

Fury turned his head to glare at Harkness and said, "Captain... _I have a feeling_ we have a lot to discuss if you wish to continue working with the men I command."

* * *

Malloy felt the fires around her subsiding and lowered her hands. The ground beneath her feet was scorched and crystallized, smoke making the air hazy. The ravine now had a wide circular crater marring its previously linear path. The blast had been intense but not difficult to control. As she gazed down at the remains of the jeep, she felt quite pleased with herself and her uncanny gift.

The sound of coughing made Malloy turn to look over at the group of men. Barnes was walking toward her while the mutant squad began to appear from behind the remaining transport vehicle.

Malloy gave Barnes a wide grin as he came up next to her.

"Phew!" she said with an exhale of breath, "_That_ was close."

Barnes glanced down into the ravine and then back at her with a bit of amazement.

"And, _wow_," Malloy said, "That was so much easier than I expected. I mean, Rimmer's had me controlling fires and stuff but nothing like that. He would have probably wet his hologrammatic pants if I had tried something like that during training. Too bad the vortex manipulators don't take video cause I would love to have that shit on replay!"

Barnes was still staring at her but his expression was odd. He kept glancing toward the other soldiers and frowning. Malloy did not notice initially and continued to revel in the explosion's containment.

"Oh, man, Bucky, do you think River and Jack would let me try that again?" she asked excitedly, "Like farther away from the camp. If I gotta do something like that to close the rift, I should get more practice, don't you think?"

Barnes widened his eyes and jerked his head in the direction of the squad. Finally getting that he was trying to tell her something, Malloy frowned in confusion.

"What's the matter?" she asked.

Barnes sighed heavily and turned her by the shoulder to face the mutant soldiers. Summers, Ink and Haze were watching her in stunned silence while Toynbee grinned, wiping soot from his goggles.

Malloy looked back at Barnes and bit her bottom lip. The bomb's aftermath had been so exhilarating, she had not considered that a majority of the men nearby had no knowledge of her powers.

"Oh..." she said after a moment, "Smeg."

Taking a step toward the squad, Malloy looked apologetic as she tried to explain what had just happened.

"So... funny thing," she started with a wave toward the carnage, "I'm... a fire starter. Or, fire stopper in this case..."

"Fire starter?" Haze asked, "Like, you can just _start fire_?"

"Yep," she agreed, "Or stop it. It works both ways."

"You're a mutant," Summers stated, looking angry, "And never told us."

Malloy continued to look guilty, "I would have but..."

"We were under orders not to," Barnes said firmly.

Summers folded his arms, unsatisfied with the excuse.

"Well," the Private responded, "Command's going to want answers about all this. And that's not our biggest problem..."

Before Summers could elaborate, the vehicle carrying Jack Harkness and Sergeant Fury pulled up behind them. The squad jumped to attention and Malloy gave a lame, contrite wave.

Fury stood up and leaned against the top of the windshield, "Gentlemen... and lady. We need to have a little chat."

"About a lot," Barnes put it, staring again into the ravine, then back to Jack, "You better see this."

Malloy turned and gasped when she spotted what Barnes was looking at. Jack walked up between them, saw the sickly purple light shining up through the broken jeep, and spoke.

"Looks like we found our rift."


	10. Chapter 10

River Song sat across the desk from Sergeant Fury with a calm smile, belying her actual feelings about the current situation. She and Jack had done as requested and explained to Fury who they were and what their real goal was. River did not mind the transparency; in fact, it would make the next stage of their mission easier to initiate. The detonation in the ravine had turned out to be a lucky break since is revealed a small glimmer of the rift existing below the surface.

However, Fury had then shared his own cryptic problem related to psychic messages and explosive devices that appeared to be targeting his mutant soldiers. The three of them now lingered in the private office of the research team's barracks discussing how to address these dueling dangers.

River gave the Sergeant credit for accepting the information she and Jack shared about the rift. He did not seem flustered by the idea of people from the future or temporal cracks in reality. She would need to think on that later. His stoic response could have been solely due to his military training but she was not sure. Something told her Sergeant Fury was also more than he appeared to be.

Fury steepled his fingers before his lips and asked, "What now?"

"Now..." River responded, "We follow the rift signature to its source and close it."

"Using Malloy's mutant powers," Fury stated.

"It's not that simple, but yes," Jack said, "A controlled burst of energy can reverse the temporal flow and close the gap in time."

"And how exactly did this 'gap' come to be in the first place?" Fury asked, "Napalm? Atomic bombs?"

Jack shook his head, "No. Most often it's random, thin places in the multiverse leaking into each other. But, sometimes, individuals experimenting with time travel can create unstable rifts as well."

"People like you?" Fury said, mildly accusatory. Jack scowled and River spoke up to avoid an argument.

"Not quite, Sergeant," she explained, tapping at her vortex manipulator on her arm, "You see, Jack and I are unique among time travelers in our own ways. We can navigate time without risk of damaging reality. Which leads me back to your own concern. The device your soldiers described on the bombs did not sound like technology that should be available on Earth in 1973."

Fury straightened in his chair as River's wrist strap computer projected an image in midair. It was of a round white contraption with five horizontal red lights.

"This looks a bit like what your men saw, doesn't it?" she asked. Both Fury and Jack looked startled at her revelation as she continued.

"This is a genetic tracker," she said, "In our time stream, it's used to locate specific alien DNA signatures. There are a few types of genocidal non-terrestrials who make it their mission to wipe out those they do not deem worth of existence. But, _this device_ should not exist for decades, maybe a century from now."

Jack seemed to understand River's pending conclusion, "So... we're not the only ones in Vietnam who don't belong to this point in history."

"I'd say it's a good possibility," River agreed, then frowned, "It doesn't explain why someone is targeting your squad, Sergeant..."

"I don't care _why_," Fury interrupted, then sighed and spoke in a more temperate tone, "If Private Glitter's impressions are accurate, the threat may be coming from inside this base camp. Is there any thing you can tell me that would help us locate the persons setting up the explosives?"

"Possibly," River replied, "None of us have any telepathic powers. Though we could have our ship's computer monitor for unusual energy readings not associated with the rift. I would also be interested in knowing if anyone has been marketing this technology to the American, or other, militaries."

"That sort of 'marketing' has declined since the war is ending," Fury said, "I can ask around... see what rumors are stirring from Washington. We did retrieve a fragment of the first bomb. I should be able to grant you access to examine it."

Jack nodded, then asked, "What will you tell you commanding officer's about all this? I'm sure not all will be open to the idea of time travelers running around Saigon..."

Fury gave him a brief smile, "No, not all of them. But the ones who count may understand. Which leads me to my next quandary... keeping this situation under wraps. There will need to be a general explanation given about the explosion. I think it will need to remain labeled as a general enemy engagement."

"True nature hidden in plain sight," Jack agreed, "Which will require the cooperation of our collective teams."

"Then, I suppose," River said, "We should bring them in..."

* * *

Alex Summers paced around the research team's barracks with his arms folded. He did not like anything about this entire situation. Professor Song's team had been working with them for nearly a week, had _requested_ a mutant squad to lead them into the jungle. Yet, they had not bothered to let the squad know that there was a mutant on their team.

Alex could not help but feel a bit betrayed by their concealment. His years as head of a mutant squad of soldiers taught him the importance of being open about one's own talents in an active war zone, despite his past intention to remain silent about his powers.

The rest of his squad waited with growing impatience for Fury to return and, hopefully, explain what the hell was going on. Malloy and Barnes were there as well. At least Barnes had the good sense to look as disquieted at Alex felt. Malloy was just looking bored, her head rolled back toward the ceiling as if it was more interesting than her company.

Alex glanced over toward her in annoyance when she made a "humpf" noise and nudged Toynbee with her elbow.

"You know what..." she said aloud in the quiet room, "Something just hit me..."

The young woman glanced around at the mutant soldiers as if she had just made an important discovery.

"Your _drill sergeant _is named _Fury,_" she said, then added with a shake of her head, "I mean... _Yikes..._right?"

Alex saw Toynbee give her a weak smile before looking down at his hands with anxiety. He had disobeyed Fury's orders by taking the squad's jeep off base. Then, the jeep had been blown up. Not really something one would want to explain to a man named Fury, even if he was not a drill sergeant.

"Yep," Haze acknowledged the young woman's statement ominously, "So, you're pretty much screwed."

Before Malloy could respond, the door to the private office slammed open and Sergeant Fury appeared.

"All of you," he stated firmly, "In here..._now_."

Alex's team exchanged suitably nervous looks as Barnes strode confidently forward and Malloy smiled peevishly. Once they had all entered the small room, the soldiers stood to attention and the young woman gave the Sergeant another lame, guilty wave.

"Now that I've been brought up to speed," Fury said, eying each of them in turn, "Here's what I need to know. Private Toynbee, is it true to drove an elicit explosive device out of camp with non-combat personnel in tow?"

Toynbee looked fidgety as he replied, "Yes, sir. To get it clear of going off near everybody else and..."

"And, Miss Malloy," Fury interrupted, "Is it true you have mutant powers that allowed you to contain the blast zone to the area around the ravine?"

"Uh huh," Malloy agreed, then added with an innocent smile, "You're welcome."

Alex shifted on his feet as he watched the Sergeant's face turn into something that truly matched his name. Captain Harkness stepped up beside Malloy and put a hand on her shoulder.

"Sergeant," he replied apologetically, "I think it's clear that Malloy and Private Toynbee were acting in, what they thought, were the best interests of camp personnel."

Alex glanced at Jack with a frown. Something told him Fury and Harkness had planned out this debriefing with specific intent.

"Disciplinary action doesn't really seem warranted," Jack continued, "Since lives were obviously saved by the intervention."

Alex saw Barnes and River Song exchange amused looks. He was about to speak when Fury continued.

"I'm inclined to agree, Captain," Fury said, arms held firmly behind his back. He turned toward the mutant soldiers and gave each an appraising look.

"Turns out our 'research team' is looking for more than geological abnormalities," Fury continued, "And we are going to help them find what they are looking for in exchange for additional resources to aid us in locating our mystery bomber. In the meantime, all information related to the explosion and the research team is to be considered classified. No one is to know the true nature of the bomb or that our teams had any involvement in neutralizing the threat."

"But..." Toynbee blurted out, "But, sir, we..."

"_No one_," Fury repeated, "Is that understood, Private?"

"Yes, sir," Toynbee replied, lowering his eyes.

Alex could see the anger on the other soldier's face, fists clenched at his sides.

"Professor Song will give you all a detailed debriefing after dinner," Fury went on.

"Oh, thank goodness," Malloy muttered. Barnes gave her a quick whack on the shoulder as a not-so-subtle way to tell her to shut up. Malloy glanced back at him and asked, "What? I'm hungry."

"Until then..." Fury said, giving the young woman a pointed glare, "You're dismissed."

The soldiers each gave Fury a salute and filed out. Barnes grabbed Malloy by the arm and drug her along from the office before she could say anything else to the agitated Sergeant.

* * *

As the group headed out toward the mess hall, Toynbee walked with his eyes lowered, trying to keep the outrage he felt in check. After years of ridicule and mistreatment at the hands of 'normal' soldiers, mutants had saved them from a dangerous threat. The 'Toad' had helped get potentially devastating explosives out of camp and now Fury ordered him not to tell anyone about it. What was the point of saving their stupid, bigoted lives if the squad could not brag about it? Rub it in their stupid faces?

Toynbee glanced up as he walked just behind the others and glowered at them. None of them seemed to care that this great deed was being covered up by their commanding officers. It was not right. It was not fair.

Malloy was joking around with Barnes about her appetite and wishing for a variety of foods not available in the war zone.

"Cheesecake," the woman said dreamily, "That would be smegging sweet. Or pizza. Just piles of cheesy goodness..."

Toynbee stifled his anger and walked faster, shoving between Malloy and Barnes. Malloy had stopped an explosion by will power alone. Didn't she care that no one would know about that? About what she could do? About how dangerous she was?

After a few more steps, Toynbee felt a soft touch on his arm and he paused. Malloy was looking at him with concern as Barnes walked on after the rest of the squad.

"Hey," she asked him, "What's wrong?"

Toynbee ground his teeth and then hissed, "_Nothing._ What the bloody hell is wrong with you?"

Malloy recoiled a bit at his ire and asked, "What do you mean?"

"I mean..." he said, dialect of his birth creeping into his voice, "Why aren't you angry? You stop an explosion, have power over fire and you don't get to talk about it? People like Rand and his cronies? You save their bloody skins and no one gets to know?"

"It's just... what we do," Malloy stammered with a shrug, "We come in, do what we can to save people and leave."

"Even when those people hate you?" Toynbee spat, "Even when they'd rather see a mutant dead than thank you for what you did?"

Malloy shrugged again, "Well... yeah. It's just... what we do."

Toynbee gave her a derisive glare, "I guess that's easy for mutants like you. No one needs to know who you are so no one gives you shit. We should be able to _tell_ people. Tell people that we saved their... their bloody... _stupid... lives..."_

As the mutant soldier seethed, Malloy looked at him with a confused frown. Toynbee took a few deep angry breaths as she stared and then shouted at her.

"_What?_" he exclaimed, holding his hands up with frustration.

"You know you get British when you're angry?" she asked.

Toynbee took a step back, his anger derailed by her question.

"No, I don't," he protested with a shake of his head.

"Little bit," Malloy said with a nod.

Toynbee struggled for a response and finally just said, "Shut up," and started to storm off.

"Wait, Toynbee, hang on," Malloy called, catching up to his stride. He paused and turned back to glare at her again.

"Look," Malloy said, "Yes, I'm a pyrokinetic and, yes, we helped saved lives today. But I didn't drive a bomb out of camp with you to get a ticker tape parade when we got back. It's just how we handle things. We have the power to protect people and that's what we do. River says the rifts could tear this world apart if nothing is done about them. So, Jack recruited us to help get them closed. I don't remember exactly how that happened or how we'll do it...but I'm here now. And so are you and the rest of your squad. I couldn't have gotten the bomb so far out of camp without your help."

Malloy took a step toward him a grinned, "And anyway... you can't tell me it wasn't a _little bit_ fun. Going off-roading with a jeep full of explosives to save the day? I mean... I was pretty smegging awesome."

Toynbee stared at her for another moment, then folded his arms and sighed.

"I don't know," he said, "I guess..."

Malloy smiled again and then gave his sleeve a quick tug.

"Come on," she encouraged, "Let's get to the mess hall with the others I'm _starving_! You have no _idea _how many calories fire starting burns."

Malloy walked on before him. Toynbee watched her for another moment, a small grin forming on his lips in spite of himself, and then followed after her and the rest of his team.


	11. Chapter 11

Arnold Rimmer scowled as the ship's computer tried unsuccessfully to reach anyone on the surface. River Song had communicated something to him about an emergency yesterday but assured him everything was under control. Since then, no one was answering his smegging calls.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Rimmer," the computer said in its ever placid tones, "I'm afraid there is still no response."

"Well, _try again_," the hologram demanded. He stomped around the cabin in his hard light form, today's time table clenched in one fist. He could only touch physical objects while projected in hard light and right now he was tempted to get physically assaultive with the command console.

"I doubt we would achieve a different result," the computer replied.

Rimmer seethed at the stubborn machine, "Listen, you glorified smeg hopper, I am ordering you to try and contact _someone_ on the surface again. Doesn't it bother you that Professor Song called me about and _emergency_ and suddenly we can't reach anybody?!"

"I'm sure Professor Song has everything in hand," the computer replied.

"Oh, are you?" Rimmer trilled with agitation, waving his neglected time table, "Well, _I'm sure_ our mission is being compromised by your inability to communicate vital information to the team. Without this revision, who knows what might be happening?"

The computer did not respond. Rimmer drew back his shoulders defiantly.

"_Fine_," he said, "If you can't make contact, then... I'm just going to have to go down there."

"That would not be advised, Mr. Rimmer," the computer warned, "Professor Song asked you to notify the team before you attempted any holographic projection to their vortex manipulators. You have no way of knowing who might be in the team's presence when you appear."

"We _can't_ notify the team, remember?" Rimmer shot back, "What if they're in trouble? Hmm? What if they are in peril and in desperate need of my expertise?"

"What expertise would that be, Mr. Rimmer?" the computer responded.

With a warning finger pointed at the console, the hologram replied, "_Shut up_. And keep trying to reach someone down there. I'm going to prepare for surface projection."

"Very well," the computer replied with what Rimmer was sure what a derogatory sigh.

* * *

Bucky Barnes slept fitfully during the night after the incident with the bomb, dreaming of a past he would have rather forgotten.

_Who the hell is Bucky?_

The words echoed in his head as phantom pain tore through his cybernetic arm.

_Who the hell is Bucky?_

_I'm Bucky. James Buchanan Barnes. It's me._

_Who the hell is Bucky?_

_Why do you keep asking me that? Who is asking me that?_

_Who the hell is …._

_A flash of memory. Explosions. Guns. World War II. An aircraft... some reaching for him... and he is falling... falling... falling toward..._

Barnes sat up straight in his cot, breathing heavily and gripping the sides of the bed. His metallic left hand had bent one bar in the cot's rigging. He glanced around and found he was the only person currently using the bunks. Barnes was grateful for the solitude. He swung his legs off the bed and wiped his face with his right hand.

Dreams had come to him since joining River's team but never like this. Nothing that left him in a cold, frightened sweat. Someone kept asking who he was, over and over, and it was terrifying.

Barnes stood and walked to a nearby wash basin. The water was tepid but still refreshing as he splashed his face. He glanced toward a window and saw that it was just after dawn. The rest of the team would be up as well to prepare for their newest expedition. This was to include the full complement of mutant soldiers and time travelers, so there would be a lot to do before they left camp.

Drying his face with a towel, Barnes headed toward his locker to dress while thinking about the nightmare. Parts of it, he knew, were from his days as a soldier, but the setting in his dream was confusing. World War II, he was sure of it. He did not know why but he was _sure_.

River and Jack had cautioned that proximity to the rift would cause his memories to re-emerge. But, then, the dream could not have been a memory. He had a cybernetic arm and other physical enhancements which would not have been available in the 1940s. So, what did it mean?

_Who the hell is Bucky?_, he thought, a shiver creeping down his spine, _I'm Bucky. Me. Who the hell else would I be? I'm just a kid from New York who..._

"I'm from New York," Barnes said aloud to no one as that fact of his life clicked into place. He smiled at this, nostalgia about the city replacing the nightmare as the morning light grew brighter.

* * *

Alex and the other three mutant soldiers entered the research team's barracks in the early morning to find Malloy and Professor Song fitting assorted items into their rucksacks. The two women were discussing the expedition in animated tones, not sounding at all like they were getting ready to head into the hostile Vietnamese jungle. He felt a fresh surge of agitation at the risky position into which these people had placed his squad.

No longer was the squad simply escorting a group of scientists doing geological surveys. Instead, they were helping a group of impossible strangers locate some kind of broken fault line that they claim could leak other time lines into their own. Alex thought the whole concept was utter bullshit but Sergeant Fury apparently did not share this view.

Professor Song spotted the soldiers first and greeted them warmly.

"Good morning, gentlemen," she said, "Hope you all slept well. We should have quite an active few days ahead of us."

"Do you have everything you need, ma'am?" Alex asked, cool but cordial.

"I think we do," Song replied, then turned to the other woman and asked, "Rebecca? What about you? All set?"

Malloy nodded, "I guess. Though I was wondering about..."

She paused, glancing at her wrist worn computer with a frown. It was chiming in a rapid sequence of sounds and blinking. She looked up at River with dismay.

"Uh oh," she said, "River... it's Rimmer... he's..."

From a spectrum of light, the form of a man materialized in the barracks, his face pinched in a disapproving glare.

"...here," Malloy concluded with a sigh.

The four soldiers reacted with understandable shock at the sight, each taking a defensive posture. Alex felt energy surge down his arm in response to the possible threat and raised it toward the intruder.

"What the hell was that?" Ink yelped, then modified his question, "Who the hell is that?"

"Gentlemen, please, no need for alarm," River said in an appeasing tone, then chided the new man, "Now, Mr. Rimmer. We spoke about this. You must give us notice before you pop in. Startling soldiers in the middle of a war zone can be very... unhealthy... for those of us who are still living and have the ability to die."

"_Unhealthy?_" Alex repeated angrily.

"Well," the man they named Rimmer said, "It's not _my_ fault. No one was responding to messages from the ship."

"What?" River asked with surprise, "You've been trying to contact us?"

"Yes, of course," Rimmer responded, "For the past 12 hours. That ship of yours said it wasn't worth continuing its attempts so I decided to project myself down."

River frowned at this and tapped at her own wrist computer, speaking into it and calling for her 'ship' to report in.

"Now," Rimmer said with a smug expression, "I believe introductions are in order."

Malloy shrugged, "Sure, why not. Guys, this is Second Technician..."

"Ahem," Rimmer said, with a false cough into his fist.

"Um... I mean, Sergeant..."

"Ahem."

"Okay, Captain..."

"_Ahem._"

Malloy sighed and held her hands up pleadingly.

"Admiral?" she asked and Rimmer gave her a contented nod, "Fine. Guys, this is _Admiral_ Rimmer of the Jupiter Mining Corporation. He's kind of... responsible for me..."

Malloy then introduced each Private in turn to the 'Admiral', who nodded approvingly. The soldiers slowly relaxed when it was clear there was no threat from the odd newcomer.

"The Jupiter what?" Haze mumbled to Toynbee, who shook his head and shrugged.

"Well met, Privates," Rimmer said, clasping his hands behind his back, "At ease."

Alex scowled, "We are at ease."

"Ah, very good," Rimmer responded stiffly, "Carry on then. Malloy... Care to catch me up on the..._ahem_..."

"The rift?" she asked, "Don't need to be cryptic. We already told them..."

"You what?" he exclaimed, "You were supposed to be _covert_!"

"Rimmer," Malloy said with a laugh, "You just appeared out of thin air and you're worried about us being covert?"

"Yes, well..." Rimmer said, then asked, "You didn't tell them about..."

"My powers?" Malloy asked, "Yep, I did."

"You _what_?" Rimmer asked again in comical horror.

"Only after I set some smeghead's pants on fire," she replied.

"_You what?_"

"And then after me and Toynbee stopped this huge explosion yesterday," she continued.

"_YOU WHAT?!"_ Rimmer said, reaching the limit of his outrage, "_What explosion?!"_

River Song finally intervened to put an end to the nonsense, "I'll explain everything to you later, Mr. Rimmer. For now, just know we will all be heading out to search for the rift's source shortly so I'm afraid your training time table will need to be revised."

Rimmer looked utterly put upon by this but only responded by continuing to glare at Malloy as she spoke.

"Did you reach the ship?" she asked and River shook her head.

"No," the Professor admitted, then added, "But no need for that to postpone our venture. Mr. Rimmer and I can look into the problem while we are en route to the rift."

Captain Harkness and Sergeant Barnes joined the party with their own supplies in tow. River then looked at Alex expectantly, passing the start of the operation to his capable hands.

"Okay," Alex said, already feeling weary of this mission, "Let's roll out."


	12. Chapter 12

_I'd love feedback on this chapter because I'm not sure if it was the right way to go. Taking steps to the next big event but not sure if I'm on the right path. That's why the update took a couple days. Please let me know what you think! :)_

* * *

Throughout the morning, the group followed rift energy readings from the damaged area of the ravine to the basin of the river. The blast had given them a starting point and the data seemed to suggest the underground rift was roughly parallel to the flowing water. After mid-day, the signal veered east, forcing them to start a trek into the jungle.

Before the foliage obscured the view, Alex could make out large hills and mountains on the horizon. He and his team had been this way before and, fortunately, it seemed like a fairly quiet area. There were a few small towns or villages, rice fields and live stock. Nothing that made him overly anxious about what might lay in their path. Still, he had sent Toynbee ahead to scout for any possible dangers.

Alex lead the rest of their pack through the brush, taking redirection from Professor Song as needed to stay on the track of the rift. At some point, Barnes had made his way up next to Alex, slightly apart from the others.

"So what's the intel on this area?" Barnes asked, "Ever heard of anything... weird going on?"

Alex took a few more steps before responding, "Weirder than a bunch of soldiers with mutant powers?"

His tone was hard but Barnes chuckled, glancing back at his crew mates.

"That's not so weird where I'm from," he replied.

"And where are you from?" Alex shot back.

"Brooklyn," Barnes said and grinned, "Seems like the bomb blast shook some of my marbles back into place. What about you? Where you from?"

"Hawaii," Alex said, "Lived there until my folks died, then ended up state side."

They walked on in silence for a few moments, then Alex asked, "What kind of unusual things should we be looking for?"

Barnes shook his head, "I don't know exactly. Rimmer has this whole catalog of... monsters, I guess... that can show up if a rift gets too big. But, I don't know, man. Seems a little too Boris Karloff to me."

Alex gave a small snort of laughter at this. Maybe it was just the memory of his parents lingering, but Barnes suddenly reminded Alex of his father. He thought of going with his father to see monster movies when he was a kid. Karloff had been one of his favorites.

The greenery to the east shook and moved as Toynbee returned to report in.

"There's something you might wanna see over here," the crouching soldier said, jerking a thumb back in the direction from which he came.

Alex nodded and then gave Barnes a wary look.

"If we run into the Bride of Frankenstein out here, she's all yours," Alex said, earning another chuckle from his companion.

Barnes signaled for the rest of the group to halt as he and Alex followed Toynbee forward to investigate.

A short distance from their team, the trio spotted what had been discovered in an open break in the trees.

Alex frowned as he entered the clearing, feeling a tingle of alarm. The nearly empty space was encircled by a dozen rocks jutting from the ground like poorly carved obelisks, each at least fifteen feet tall. Lines of smaller stones radiated from each spike to a circle, which had been tended and contained a variety of flowering shrubs.

He walked toward the center with slow, cautious steps. Despite the towering stones, the area seemed quite tranquil, beautiful colors among the jungle's sea of green and brown.

Alex heard Barnes ask Toynbee, "Was anyone here when you found it?"

"Nope," the other soldier replied, "Found it just like this. What do ya think it is?"

"No idea," Barnes replied, "Might just be some local's garden."

As Alex arrived at the middle patch of flowers, he reached down a picked up a smooth, polished stone about the size of his palm. There was a symbol engraved on its surface and Alex recognized the Vietnamese character for 'mountain'. It had been a common word used on maps of the area.

He placed the stone back respectfully in its place then turned back to the others.

"Barnes, you wanna call the others and tell them to track us here?" Alex asked. Barnes nodded, spoke into his wrist computer and told Jack to bring the others to the circle of stones.

Alex was continuing his slow pace around the center of the clearing, when Toynbee let out a yelp of alarm. Alex spun, and held out his right arm defensively, a red glow encircling his fist. Barnes was on guard as well, rifle raised toward the new threat.

Toynbee was being throttled from behind by a wood staff at his neck, a thin but strong arm holding it in place. The attacker's other hand held a knife to his abdomen.

Behind his teammate's shoulder, Alex saw the fierce face of a Vietnamese woman, dark locks of hair straying down over her milky white eyes. With trained control, Alex drew back on the cosmic energy coursing through his body and loosened his fist. He held both arms up, hands open in a sign of truce.

"Easy..." he said, "Just... take it easy... Toad, don't move... "

The woman yelled something at him but Alex's Vietnamese was limited and he did not understand. He shook his head as he spoke calmly.

"Sorry. I don't understand you."

With a dark glare, the woman spoke again, in clear English, "Who... are... you? What are you doing here?"

"We're soldiers from the base camp by the river," Alex replied, "We're not here to hurt anyone. Please. If you let the Private go, we can talk..."

The woman did not yield, "How many are with you?"

"Eight," Alex said, "Five more plus the three of us."

The attacker shifted her feet into the dirt, her white eyes narrowing. Alex noted for the first time that she wore no shoes. Alex could hear the rest of their group getting closer. He could see Barnes shifting carefully toward the tree line, hoping to intercept them in case their arrival caused the young woman to lash out against Toynbee.

"You should not be here," the woman hissed, "This place is..."

She paused, tilting her head, as if listening. She called out in Vietnamese and received a response in English.

Someone scolded in a soft voice, "Let him go."

Alex saw the young woman stiffen and scowled back toward the trees.

"But, teacher!" she said, "There are... _oy_!"

In her moment of distraction, Toynbee was able to twist himself out of her grasp. He leaped away, impossibly far for an ordinary soldier, and landed just behind Alex and Barnes. The young woman grasped at the air, looking confused, until finally she seemed to register where her prey had gone.

"You alright?" Alex asked Toynbee, who nodded and glared resentfully back at his attacker.

The remainder of their party arrived to the unexpectedly tense situation, looking to Alex for explanation.

"Private Summers?" River Song asked, "What is..."

Her words fell away as the Professor began to gape at the stone structures. Haze and Ink moved to defensive positions around the research team. Alex shook his head at them once, indicating they were not to strike out at the strange woman.

More crunching steps could be heard and a hooded man emerged from the leaves. His face was obscured as he glanced around, pausing significantly to stare at Alex.

"Teacher, they shouldn't be here!" the young woman protested, twisting the wooden staff in her hands. Before the new arrival could respond, Alex took the lead.

"We apologize to you, sir," Alex said, "I think we're encroaching on your land. We'll leave and go around..."

"Private Summers," River interrupted, paging through her red note book, "We really can't. This place is... "

"Not now, Professor," he shot back.

"Please," the man said calmly, "No need for apologies. I've actually been wondering when you would show up."

The man pulled back his hood and Alex inhaled sharply. The face was paler than he remembered, pock marked and scarred. But the eyes were the same.

"Darwin?" Alex asked in shock and the man smiled.

"Been a long time, Alex," he replied.

"You are... you were dead," the mutant soldier stumbled over his words, "I... Shaw killed you."

"Adapt to survive, remember?" Darwin said, his tone kind.

To the surprise of the rest of his team, Alex Summers walked over to his old friend and embraced him.

"How? Just... how?" Alex stammered, "How'd you get here?"

Darwin placed a hand on his shoulder, "Let's get back to the village and I'll try to explain."

The woman who had attacked Toynbee let out an angry grunt before turning on her heals and running into the jungle. Darwin seemed somber as he watched her go.

"Will she be okay on her own?" Alex asked.

"She'll be fine," Darwin said, then gesturing to the assembled party, "Come on... this way..."

As the group followed his old friend, Alex overheard Jack and Barnes speaking together in low voices.

"Did you notice?" Jack asked.

"Notice what?" Barnes replied.

Jack continued, "That woman. I'm pretty sure she was blind."


	13. Chapter 13

Darwin lead the group into a small village comprised of a dozen stone shelters a short distance from the garden circle. As they walked from the trees, Alex could see curious faces watching them from open windows and doors. He was surprised to find that not all the faces were of Asian decent and most of them were children.

The stone shelters were unusual as well. Not built of piled stone, like brick and mortar, but rather shaped as if they had been carved from large boulders. The symbol for 'mountain' was etched on each one, matching the rock Alex had handled in the garden.

When they reached the central building, Darwin turned toward Alex and spoke.

"Afraid I don't have enough room for everyone," he said, "I'm not used to having visitors."

Alex nodded, "How about just me, Captain Harkness and Professor Song? The rest can wait outside."

"Sure," Darwin replied with a smile, "Come on in."

As his old friend ducked through the door, Alex turned back to the team.

"What do you say we rest here for a bit? Get something to eat?" he asked Jack, then added hesitantly, "Darwin is... well... I think it's important that have a talk with him."

Jack nodded and the others began finding places to lay their gear around an outdoor fire pit. River Song looked apprehensive and walked toward Alex, still clutching her notebook.

Private Summers, we really _must_ return to that clearing," she said, "Even if speaking with your friend does not win us permission to investigate."

Alex seethed but kept his tone low and even, "Professor... Ten years ago, I saw that man _literally _blown apart. When another mutant redirected _my own power_ down this throat. We don't do _anything_ in this place without getting his permission. I owe that to him."

River stared at him for another moment, before giving him a curt nod of acknowledgment.

Alex lead River and Jack inside Darwin's home. The young woman who had attacked Toad was also inside, placing a clay tea pot in the center of a low table. When she noticed the strangers, she glared at them and walked away toward a small fireplace. She lifted herself onto a stone ledge and sat, cross legged and arms folded, looking unhappy at the intrusion.

Darwin had removed his cloak and was placing small tea cups before benches on either side of the table. He waved for them to join him and the trio sat as Darwin poured each some tea.

"So..." Darwin said with a smile to Alex, "Do you want to start, or should I? I think we both have a hundred and one questions."

Alex looked at Jack and River before replying, "I'll start. I think these two need to know what happened in 1962."

Darwin nodded, sipping his tea as Alex began to explain how the two had met. He talked about Charles Xavier, Erik Lensherr and the circumstances that brought he and Darwin into the gathering of mutants at the CIA in 1962. He smiled as he recounted the group choosing their mutant names, showing off his powers, Hank McCoy dangling from the ceiling as they all celebrated not being alone anymore.

His face fell when he reached the name of Sebastian Shaw, the mutant maniac who had 'killed' Darwin by redirecting Alex's cosmic blasts. Darwin's face remained placid, looking sympathetically as his old friend vented his guilt about this event.

"But as you can see," Darwin interrupted, gesturing down at his body, "My name is pretty well suited."

Alex shook his head, "I still can't really believe it's you. I'm almost tempted to test and see if you are actually Mystique."

Darwin's face broke into an odd smile before he stood and walked toward the small hearth. He pulled back his sleeve and lowered his hand toward the fire. Alex heard River Song inhale sharply as Darwin shoved his arm into the embers. After a moment, he withdrew his hand, which had hardened over with a protective shell. He seemed very amused by the startled expressions on the strangers' faces.

"Adapt to survive," Jack said, echoing Darwin's earlier words, then asked, "Who is Mystique?"

"Another mutant, a shape shifter," Alex explained.

As Darwin returned to the table, he asked, "What happened to her? And the others?"

"Mystique... Raven," Alex said, "She, Angel and a couple others went with Erik after Cuba. They started some trouble with the Friends of Humanity before the Kennedy assassination. After that, we didn't hear much. That really broke up Xavier. He and Raven were so close. Then she just takes off."

"I read up on the news reports about Magneto," Darwin said, "Well, as much as I could while living here. The papers said he killed the President."

Alex shrugged, "We never knew for sure. Xavier refused to believe it at first. But, then, as the years went by... I don't know. Xavier opened a school. After everything that went down in Cuba. I was there helping out for a while. Training mutant kids to use their gifts. Until I was drafted. Last I heard from Hank, Xavier was heading pretty heavily into the bottle..."

Darwin nodded sadly, "Can't say I blame him. The guy's heart seemed like it was in the right place."

"And how was it you came to be here, Mr. Darwin?" River asked. Alex shot her an angry look. It felt to him like she way trying to expedite the conversation; trying to reach her own point.

Darwin sighed and scratched the back of his head, "That's hard to explain. I don't really know for sure myself but... after Shaw killed me... it was like I was just... drifting. I was there but... not there. Then, about five years ago, I woke up by the river. Someone was poking me with a stick."

He paused to smile at the young Vietnamese woman on the ledge. She had not moved since taking her guarded position and her face remained impassive as Darwin talked about her.

"Toph found me and brought me back here," he explained, "There was only the one house at the time. She had made it after her family home had been destroyed. It might have been just dumb luck to be found by another mutant but..."

"But, you don't believe that," Jack added after Darwin's voice had trailed off.

"No," Darwin agreed, "I don't."

"She's a mutant?" Alex asked, glancing at the woman's still form.

"She's like Magneto," Darwin replied, "But with stone rather than metal."

The young woman suddenly hissed a few words at Darwin in Vietnamese. He held up an apologetic hand and the woman fell silent.

"She doesn't trust soldiers," he said, "With good reason..."

"What about the other people here?" River asked.

"They've drifted in over the years, too. Mostly kids," Darwin said, then grinned at Alex, "I guess I've got my own kind of school going on right here. Trying to help them learn about their gifts."

Alex returned the smile, "That's why she called you 'teacher'."

Darwin shrugged, "I don't think I'm much of one to be honest. We all just try to help each other. Keep each other safe."

"It's wonderful," River responded with an honest smile, "That all of you have been... drawn together..."

As River paused, Darwin gave her an understanding smile.

"Ask me what you really want to, Professor," he said. Alex thought to protest but he knew, no matter his feelings, the Professor's questions were part of their current mission.

"Who made the circle of stones we found?" she asked, eagerly, "Where did it come from?"

Before Darwin could respond, the young woman, Toph, leaped down from where she sat, milky eyes blazing. The ground beneath the small house seemed to tremble in response to her anger.

"Don't tell them anything, teacher!" she shouted, "It's not their place. It's not for them!"

Darwin tried to calm her with a touch but the woman shook his hand away. Her empty eyes turned toward River.

"There were others, you know," Toph said with a growl, "_Others_. Even before Darwin came. They took us away, any of us who could do things. My friends! My parents! They destroyed everything around us!"

Toph slammed her hands on the stone table and it cracked, forcing the strangers to jump to their feet.

"You have no right to be here," the woman continued, "I want you, and all of your people, to leave! And don't come back!"

River held her hands up in a sign of truce. She glanced between the young woman and Darwin before gesturing toward her fallen notebook.

"May I show you something?" she asked, "From my ledger?"

Toph's fingers dug into the rock as she replied, "No. I wouldn't be able to see anything you had written."

"Then, may I show your teacher?" River asked, "I believe... it will help explain why it is so important for me to understand that place. Why you made it."

Darwin stood and put a hand on Toph's shoulder. She turned her head toward him and, grudgingly, nodded. He walked over to River, who handed him the red bound notebook opened to the page she wished him to see. Darwin read over her diagram of the twelve symbols connected by beams to a center point. The image was the same shape as Toph's stone garden and the ancient marking on the left most point was strangely similar to the character for 'mountain' that the young stone shaper favored.

"I don't understand," Darwin said, meeting River's gaze.

"Neither do I," she replied, "I have found those symbols and that pattern all across Earth's history. And now, I find it here. That's why I need to examine that stone circle. We are here to repair a broken point in time and Toph's creation may give us a clue to how that can be done."

Darwin frowned, obviously confused by the Professor's book as well as her words.

"Okay," he said slowly, "But first, now that you know our story, why don't you tell us the rest of yours... and then... we'll decide if we will help you."

* * *

Toynbee crouched near the fire pit outside of Darwin's house, stewing quietly about being caught off guard by the woman at the circle of stones. It was not usual for someone to get the jump on him like she had. And then Captain Harkness had said something about her being blind. How could he let a bloody blind woman sneak up on him like that? He supposed maybe she was a mutant since she was here with Private Summer's old friend but still, he could not help letting it bug him.

The odd little village was quiet. None of the other residents had approached the team, though he had seen a few faces peeking out from windows. Summers, Professor Song and Captain Harkness had been in the stone house for nearly forty-five minutes. The rest of them had eaten a small meal and were now just waiting to hear what they would do next.

With a sigh, Toynbee checked the positions of his team, the other soldiers keeping watch on the peaceful houses as well as the jungle. Barnes was treading a rough circle around the village. Ink was also walking, smoking cigarettes and looking bored. Haze and Malloy were sitting at the fire pit. They had been chatting idly to kill time but conversation had dwindled to silence. The hologram, Rimmer, had not returned since they all left camp in the morning.

Toynbee glanced toward Malloy occasionally, trying not to be obvious about it. It was hard to believe he and the woman had been driving explosives out of camp only yesterday.

Malloy sat with her chin resting in her hand, watching the flames in the pit dance. She was tilting her head slowly back and forth and Toynbee noticed the remaining fire moved in the same way. She looked as bored as Ink despite their strange surroundings.

He shifted his gaze toward the dense greenery and frowned. He could not understand how someone with so much power treated it like such an ordinary thing. Someone with that kind of power could have ended this war years ago. With that kind of power, somebody could make a difference. Show the world why mutants were important.

He heard Malloy sigh, blowing air out of her lips in an exaggerated raspberry. He looked back toward the fire pit in time to see Barnes approach and Malloy call out to him.

"Hey, Bucky," she said, then tapped her temple with one finger and asked, "Anything?"

Barnes looked uncomfortable and responded, "No... not yet..."

"Yeah, me neither," Malloy said and sighed again.

"What's this?" Haze asked, copying her head tapping motion.

"Oh... just asking if Barnes got any new memories back yet," she replied, "River and Jack said we should remember more about ourselves as we get closer to the source of the rift. Nothing's coming back to me yet through."

"That must be weird, huh?" Haze asked, "Not knowing about yourself."

Malloy shrugged, "Luckily, I don't remember what it was like _to know_ about myself. Right now, I'm used to the weirdness."

Toynbee saw her face fall into a frustrated frown and he shifted his position closer to the pit as she continued.

"Still," the fire starter said, "I would be nice to start remembering something. I mean... I know I'm Rebecca Malloy. I know Rimmer's been watching over me for a while. I know I'm from Earth. River said I'm not an alien or anything. I know I have power over fire, but not how much. It's... it's like it's all right there... just _right there_... in the back of my mind. But I can't see it."

She grinned at Haze, "It's really a pain in the butt. I mean... I don't even know my birthday. _That's _weird. I just made up a date whenever I had to fill out paperwork at camp. Come to think about it, I hope I used the same date on all those stupid forms."

"So, you guys are really from the future?" Toynbee asked, finally joining the others at the fire pit.

Malloy met his gaze, smiled and nodded, "Guess so. At least I'm pretty sure about that."

"How far?" he asked.

"No idea," she replied, then pointed at her temple again, "That's lost in the pudding brain too. Though it's gotta be pretty far, right? Since I have a hologram guy hanging around."

"Yeah, right," he said, folding his arms on his knees. He sat thoughtfully for a moment before asking, "Do you think... in the future... it's better? For mutants, I mean?"

Malloy shrugged, "I don't know. I hope so. I hope it's better for everybody."

Toynbee looked down in to the flames, dissatisfied with her answer. He was struggling with what to say next when Malloy spoke again in a hushed tone.

"I think we have company," she whispered, but did not sound alarmed. She jerked to head toward one of the closer stone houses.

The face of a small boy peered at them from around a corner, dark eyes wide. He appeared to be Vietnamese but his hair was formed into white and purple braids. It was hard to say if this coloring was due to mutation or simply dyed.

"I was wondering if anyone would come out," Malloy said softly and gave the boy a quick wave.

He ducked behind the stone house, only to reappear a moment later. Toynbee did not think the boy looked afraid, only curious.

"Do you think he likes dragons?" Malloy asked. Toynbee glanced at her with a frown as the woman held her hand out toward the fire pit.

The dying embers grew brighter and little flames began to spiral upward. Malloy smiled as the fire began to spin, stretching out in length before expanding sideways into a distinct set of wings. Toynbee turned his head between the spectacle and the boy to see if the child was still watching. He could not help but grin as the boy's mouth dropped open in a wide 'O' of surprise.

After a few moments, the flames has fully formed into the shape of a winged serpent, its eyes glowing with a blue light. He watched as Malloy let out a small puff of breath and the blazing creature seemed to take flight briefly before disappearing into the smoky air. The boy gasped and then disappeared again behind the stone.

Toynbee chuckled and turned back toward the mutant woman. Malloy gave him a sheepish grin.

"I think I scared him," she said, looking a bit guilty about her showy display. He again felt a twinge of displeasure at her modesty.

"Scary's okay sometimes," he said.

Malloy stared at him somberly for a moment before she said, "I don't want people to be afraid of me, Toynbee."

"They should be," he said, then noticed her expression turn hard, offended. Toynbee tried to regroup. He had not meant to make her angry. But what he said was true. People... _normal people_... should be afraid of her. When people were afraid, they left you alone.

"I mean..." he stammered, before speaking quickly, "You're powerful, can start fires, stop bombs, stop people before they hurt you, hurt them if you need to..."

"Hurt people? I _don't want_ to hurt people," she interrupted him, quickly getting to her feet and walking away.

Toynbee opened his mouth, trying to think of how to respond, but no words were coming to mind. He caught Haze's gaze and frowned when he saw the look on the man's face. Haze raised an eyebrow at Toynbee before shaking his head.

"Well... that pissed her off," Haze said, "Good job, Mort."

Toynbee glared at the mutant but said nothing so not to betray how confused he felt. He wanted to kick himself for what he said to Malloy, but he was also angry that she did not understand what he had been trying to explain.

A short time later, Summers, Jack and River exited the stone house with Darwin and the blind woman. The team gathered closer as Jack spoke.

"After some _discussion_," he said, "We've got the okay to investigate the stone circle again. But just the three of us... me, River and Summers. We'll go with Darwin and Toph and be back before night fall. They've got a couple empty shelters where we can set up camp so get yourselves settled."

Haze and Toynbee gathered supplies from around the fire pit and started walking towards the two stone houses Darwin pointed out.

Haze nudged Toynbee as they walked, "Guess you've got some time to think of an apology then."

Toynbee scowled and felt his face flush before responding, "Shut up..."


	14. Chapter 14

At the circle of stones, River Song was meticulously examining each of the rock spires in turn. She was using her wrist worn vortex manipulator to gather data but her ability to track readings from the ship still seemed impaired. She would need to have Mr. Rimmer run diagnostics on the main computer though his skills with that sort of technology were limited.

The odd jungle grove was a key to locating the source of the rift. She was sure of it, by every inborn instinct she had about the time stream.

_Twelve,_ she thought, _Why always twelve? What could it mean?_

River was so engrossed in her work that she had not acknowledged the presence of the others for some time. She had set Jack to gathering data as well while Summers chatted with his old friend Darwin. The young blind woman, Toph, sat stoic and still on a rock slab nearby, glaring with her unseeing eyes.

The stone spires were generally unmarked, except for the four positioned in the cardinal directions. River noted that the northern most spire bore the symbol for 'mountain' which they had encountered frequently upon discovery of this location. The other three, standing to the east, south and west, also had etched symbols which were strangely similar to the ancient markings River had discovered and included in her red note book.

River eventually found herself standing near the blind stone shaper.

"This place is remarkable, Toph," she said cautiously, "Raw... earthly... beautiful..."

The young woman tilted her head in River's direction but did not reply.

"I would dearly like to know more about how it came to be," River prodded, "I believe that knowledge will help us find the rift and close it before it can do any damage to your home."

Toph took a long, slow breath before responding.

"What are you?" she asked, "The soldier... Darwin's friend... he called you 'Professor'."

"Yes," River replied, "I'm an archaeologist of sorts. That means I study the..."

"_I know_ what an archaeologist is," Toph said through clenched teeth, "I am not a child."

"Sorry," River said, then sat down on the edge of the stone slab. Toph shifted with discomfort at the Professor's nearing presence. River opened her red note book to her main page of interest. She sat for a few silent moments, waiting for the woman to speak. She knew she would. She sensed the woman's curiosity in spite of her still expression.

"You are not a soldier then?" Toph finally asked.

"No, not exactly," River answered, then decided to disclose more, "Though I was a weapon once. I was made to kill a man. And I did. Though, I eventually married him so it all worked out in the end."

The young woman's face was now fully turned toward River, confusion melting Toph's hard mask.

"Now I study the past to help protect the future," River said, "Important moments in history, like this place, are precious and must be preserved."

"This is a war," Toph said, her voice remaining civil, "You wish to preserve that?"

"Not the war," River replied, "But _this moment_. This place... the place it would seem that you built."

Toph tensed at this but did not disagree. River had suspected the structure had been this young woman's own creation. But the more urgent question needed to be answered.

"Why did you make this place, Toph?" River asked, "Why is it so important to you?"

Silence lingered for a long time. So long that Darwin and Private Summers walked over to them with concern.

"Everything alright?" Summers asked.

"I think so," River said, then glanced up at the sky and reluctantly added, "It's getting late. We should probably head back for the night."

"_It's just what I see_," Toph suddenly said, causing River to jump slightly.

The young woman again turned her face toward the professor and spoke quickly, "I can't see. I've always been blind. But this is what I see. Stone and earth. The rock and the mountains. I see everything that touches the earth. And, underneath it all, in the darkness... is this. Twelve and the center. Twelve and the tower. Just like Darwin said was in your notebook. The mountain always to the north... the wind to the east... the fire to the south. Always the same."

River was moved by the young woman's passion as tears rolled from unseeing eyes.

"But something is broken now," Toph continued, "Something broken in the mountain. I can see it and … there's so much light. That light makes me glad I'm blind."

Toph sobbed on her last word. Darwin sat next to her and put an arm over her shoulder. He glanced at River with worry, but also a bit of wonder. The pieces were falling into place in River's mind. At least, regarding the rift.

"The mountain is broken," River repeated, then reached over and squeezed Toph's hand, "Thank you. And we are going to do all we can to fix this."

Toph gave her a quick nod before burying her face against Darwin's shoulder. River gestured for Jack and Summers to follow her to the other side of the clearing.

"The mountain," she said again, "That's where it is. The rift."

"You're sure?" Summer said skeptically.

"Absolutely," River replied, then her face broke into a broad smile, "That's not all. Oh, Jack. I think Toph may be a..."

"_Someone's here!_" Toph suddenly shouted, jumping to her feet.

River barely registered the young woman's words before several gunshots rang out from the jungle. She felt a jolt of searing pain across her right arm before Jack tackled her to the ground. Summers was shouting for Darwin to take cover.

Everything began moving as in a dream. River saw her notebook on the ground a short distance away. She tried to reach for it but Jack's grip was unyielding as he tried to drag her behind one of the stone spires.

"Leave it!" Jack's voice came to her ears and she protested. More gun shots whizzed around them, ricocheting off the rocks.

"No... no... I can't," she tried to explain, "It's all there... we can't..."

"River!" Jack shouted, "I said, leave it! We can come back for it la..."

The tall man's body rocked backward, pulling River down with it, as he fell silent. Her head grazed the stone spire and she felt a warm gush of blood spill from her left temple. She fell onto her back as the ground beneath her began to shake.

There were more shouts, mostly from Summers she thought, but there were other voices as well. The earth felt as if it was rolling and breaking. There was a terrible noise, cracking, deafening. And then the world fell silent again.

River lay dazed and clumsily tried to wipe blood from her eyes. She could make out Summers kneeling down next to her, trying to help her sit up. His face was grave but she could not understand his words. The world was spinning away.

Then she turned to look toward Jack, who also lay on his back, his eyes wide. There was a bullet hole just above his right eye brow.

_He'll be fine..._ River thought, _He can't die, remember?_ _Did we ever tell Summers that? That Jack can't die? I don't think we did..._

This was her last clear reflection before she fell unconscious.

* * *

As the day began to fade, Toynbee was taking stock of the team's supplies and getting his own things in order for the night. The team would take rounds on patrol and he had pulled second shift so he was planning on getting some shut eye as soon as possible.

He crouched outside the stone house where he, Haze and Ink had taken shelter when he heard footsteps approaching. After a quick glance back, he spotted Malloy heading in his direction. Toynbee felt tension run up his spine and he gritted his teeth.

He had been trying to take Haze's advice, to think of an apology. Malloy was on their side. He had not meant to make her angry but did not understand what he had said wrong. Malloy and her team said they were here to protect people. So why did she get so upset when he said she could hurt people who wanted to hurt them? Make them afraid of you. How else do you keep people safe?

As Malloy reached him, Toynbee turned his goggled eyes down to his work, feeling the flush creep back on his face. The fire starter sat down on a stone nearby and pulled in her knees.

"Hey," she said simply. Toynbee gave her a quick nod but did not look up.

Malloy sighed and spoke, "I... just wanted... to say sorry..."

Now, Toynbee's head jerked in surprise and stared at her. Malloy smiled apologetically.

"For snapping at you before, I mean," she continued, "It was... it wasn't cool. And you didn't deserve it."

The mutant soldier looked dumbfounded, totally caught off guard by her concession. His thoughts raced as he tried to think of what to say but nothing clear was coming to mind. She had apologized to him? That did not make any sense. Haze said Toad should think of an apology for her. Why was she saying sorry to him?

When Toynbee did not respond, Malloy spoke again.

"You're a soldier," she said, "You and Haze and the other guys... you've taken on the duty to protect people, by force if you need to. I... shouldn't have got all defensive about what you said. It's just..."

Malloy exhaled in frustration. Toynbee saw her bite her lower lip, an uncharacteristic bitterness in her eyes.

"People expect me to hurt people," she said, looking out into the jungle, "I know River worries about it. She looks at me sometimes like I'm a live grenade or something. And Jack talks about how I need to create like a supernova or something to close the rift. Rimmer says I can do it but I have no idea how. So I'm supposed to cause a huge explosion to save the world while not accidentally burning everyone alive..."

Toynbee remained quiet as Malloy vented. She turned her head back toward him and met his gaze, eyes glassy with unshed tears.

"Like that kid," she continued, "I just thought he'd get a kick out of a one of my little fire doodles. But I scared him. Just that little trick and I scared him. So what would happen if he saw what I can really do with fire? Or had seen me stop the bomb? Why shouldn't people be afraid of me if they know I can do something like that?"

Toynbee frowned with confusion and said, "Well... I'm not afraid of you."

Her reaction again caught him off guard as her expression shifted into a wide smile.

"Oh," she said with a quick laugh, "Well... that's good. Good to know at least one person isn't. Thanks, Toynbee."

He again struggled with a response as he watched her wipe at her wet eyes. Then, he just blurted out the first thing that came to mind.

"I'm from York," he said. Malloy looked at him with surprise as he continued, "Not like the big city, I mean. I'm from York... England."

"Ah ha," Malloy said with a slightly teasing grin, "So you _did_ get a little British when you were angry. I knew it."

Toynbee returned her grin a bit bashfully and shrugged, "Guess so."

"Then..." Malloy asked, "How'd you end up here? With the American army?"

"Faked it," Toynbee replied with another shrug, "Got some money. Left for the States and decided to enlist. It really wasn't hard and they wanted soldiers."

"Huh," Malloy said, still grinning, then asked, "Do the other guys know?"

Toynbee shook his head, "No. Never came up. And I got the accent down pretty good, I think."

Malloy laughed at this and Toynbee's grin widened, relieved that the tension between them seemed to be gone.

"Yeah," she agreed, "Sounds more like New York most of the time rather than old York. You just gotta watch when you get angry."

"Yeah, right," he said, shifting his ruck sack around to continue to unpack.

"Ya know," Malloy said, "Back in Nebraska, my grandpa would talk about the Korean War sometimes. He could always tell from a guy's accent that..."

When she paused, Toynbee frowned, watching her eyes again become teary. But Malloy was still smiling as she met his gaze.

"I'm... I'm from Nebraska," she said, "Holy shit... I remember..."

Toynbee suddenly understood and returned her pleased smile. Malloy took a breath, like she was about to burst with excitement, when Summers came charging into camp. He looked alarmed and Toynbee and Malloy got to their feet as he reached their position.

"Trouble," he said between gasps of air, "River's been shot. So has Jack... Jack's...'

Summers took a few more breaths as Ink, Haze and Barnes came out of the stone shelters. Looking between Barnes and Malloy with regret, Summers spoke again.

"Jack's been killed," he said, "Shot in the head. I'm sorry but..."

"Where is he? Where's River?" Barnes said.

Summers jerked his head toward the jungle, "Back at the clearing with Darwin and Toph. Someone was shooting at us from the trees. Toph... she stopped them."

Barnes was off and running before Summers had finished speaking.

"Ink... Haze... go with him," Summers ordered and the two other mutant soldiers followed Barnes. Malloy wrung her hands in front of her chest in fear.

"River was shot? How badly?" she asked.

"Just grazed her arm," Summers replied, "But she's got a bad gash on her head from when she fell. Darwin's treating her until we can get back."

Malloy looked relieved, "Oh, thank goodness."

Summers seemed taken aback, "Malloy... Jack's dead."

"Umm..." the young woman said hesitantly, "No... he's not."

"He took a bullet between the eyes," Summers said incredulously, "No one could have survived..."

"_Well..._" Malloy interrupted. Toynbee saw Summers' face fading into aggravated rage.

"Well _what_?" Summers asked.

"Well..." she continued, looking guilty, "Jack's... Jack is... _sort of_... immortal."

The two remaining soldiers stared at her in bewilderment.

"_Sort of..._" Summers repeated, "_Immortal?"_

"Yeah," Malloy replied, sheepishly, "He can't die. Like... ever. Like you could blow him to smithereens and he'd come back. He'd be pissed, but he'd come back."

Summers looked utterly baffled and quite pissed himself. Toynbee shifted uncomfortably, not sure what to do next when Summers raised his hands in the air with angry resignation.

"You know what..." he said, then shook his head, "Never mind. We'll bring them all back here and then figure it out. Because I've pretty much had my fill of insanity for today. Toynbee, stay here with Malloy in one of the houses until we get back. There may still be other shooters out there."

"Yes, sir," Toynbee nodded. He and Malloy moved through the nearest stone doorway and closed up the small house as Summers headed back toward the clearing.

"Gonna be another interesting night, I guess," Malloy said, in a low voice, then added, "So... while we're waiting... tell me about York."


	15. Chapter 15

Alex stared down into the crevasse that now existed just outside of the circle of stones. It was hard to tell how deep it was in the dimming light. He wondered how far the men who had been shooting at them had fallen before they hit bottom.

Haze, Ink, Barnes and Darwin were on their way back to the village with an unconscious Professor Song and a supposedly not-dead Jack Harkness. Alex had lingered behind to inspect the break in the earth and try to sort out in his head what exactly Fury had gotten his team into. He dearly wished at least one of their attackers had been left alive to answer questions. But Toph had said there were no other intruders lurking nearby. She could tell by sensing the world through her connection to the ground around them. And it would seem Toph had quicker defenses than anyone could have suspected of someone who was blind. The ground had broken beneath the feet of the men in the jungle, solid ground swallowing them whole before they could flee.

It should have been terrifying. But Alex felt himself inwardly relieved that this power belonged to Toph rather than another mutant with the ability to manipulate earthen elements. He figured Magneto would have freed himself of his subterranean prison long ago if he could lift raw soil instead of only metals. Xavier had told Alex where Magneto was detained after the JFK assassination trial, before the Professor had shut his mind off to the world.

"You should not remain here alone," Toph's voice said quietly from behind him, "It's not safe for you in the dark."

Alex turned and looked at the young woman standing in the clearing. It was too dark to see her white eyes but she was silhouetted by the beams of moonlight penetrating the jungle canape.

"Not safe for you either," he said, walking toward her. After a few steps, he could make out the smug grin on her face.

"I don't need the sun to see where I am going," she said, "Or if enemies are nearby."

"Does that mean we're not your enemies?" he asked cautiously.

Toph shifted her stance as she answered, "No... but you are Darwin's friend. I trust him and he trusts you..."

"So, let's just say we've got a truce," Alex said, then added, "For now."

Toph nodded once before turning to walk out of the stone circle. Alex followed behind, knowing she could lead him back to the village better than he could on his own.

They walked in silence for a while before Toph spoke again.

"Your Professor said she can fix the mountain," she said, then asked, "Can she?"

Alex sighed heavily before replying, "I have no idea. She can't do what you can with stone. But, from what she's told me, there's some kind of break in the earth they are trying to find and close. Jack said Malloy's power might do the trick."

"What power?" Toph asked, sounding wary, "What can she do to fix the mountain?"

"Power over fire. But I really don't have the answers to your questions, Toph," Alex said.

"She stands to the south," Toph said.

"What do you mean?" Alex asked.

"Fire always stands to the south," Toph replied, as if this explained everything.

Alex was getting tired of mysteries and riddles, especially with bodily exhaustion catching up with him. He was not sure if anything would ever be answered now that Professor Song was injured. But he had a feeling it would not be long before his squad was heading toward Toph's mountain.

* * *

"I don't know..." Ink said, arms folded as he stared down at Jack's body, "He looks pretty dead to me."

Toynbee glanced up at his teammate with a scowl though, secretly, he was thinking the same thing.

Jack's body had been laid out on the ground behind Darwin's stone house, lit by several torches Malloy had set up. Their host and Barnes were inside, seeing to River Song's wounds. They had left Malloy and the three mutant soldiers to keep vigil over the deceased Captain. Toynbee was not sure what they were waiting for. An hour had passed since the group returned to the village and Jack's body had not shown any signs of life.

"Yeah," Malloy said in agreement with Ink, "He really does. I haven't seen him come back before so I'm not sure how it works."

"Maybe we should say a few words?" Haze offered, then shrugged, "Ya know, like a prayer or something?"

"What? And wish for the bullet in his head to disappear?" Ink shot back, "You'd be command's A-Number-One mutie if you could do that."

"Oy!" Toynbee hissed, "Show a bit of respect, why don't ya?"

"I didn't really respect him before," Ink balked, "No reason to do it now that he's - _WHOA_!"

Ink yelped and jumped back. Jack's body had jerked suddenly, taking a ragged deep breath. The man groaned as Toynbee watched with a mix of revulsion and awe as Jack's head wound closed. Malloy sighed with relief before putting a hand on the now living man's shoulder.

"Jack," she said with a grin, "Welcome back."

Harkness blinked his eyes against the fire light and lifted his head. He frowned, looking a bit disappointed.

"Oh," he said, "We're still here. Damn. I was having a great dream about this planet called Nacre. All beautiful beaches...warm water... two suns! And the men there have the biggest..."

Jack seemed to fully return to his senses and glanced around, "Um... never mind... Where's River?"

"Inside with Darwin and Bucky," Malloy said, "Bullet grazed her arm and she hit her head but otherwise she seems okay. Bucky said she came to a little while ago."

Jack sat up as Malloy talked and handed him a canteen. The Captain took a long drink and poured some of the water over his face to wash away the remaining blood.

"Where's Summers?" he asked with concern.

"He's okay. He hung back with Toph to make sure there wasn't anybody else hiding around," Malloy replied, "The guys said she make a crack in the ground and whoever was shooting fell in."

Jack nodded and looked back toward the jungle, still frowning. He glanced back toward the trio of mutant soldiers.

"Who were they?" he asked, "What did they look like?"

"You'd be better off asking Summers," Haze said, "They were already... gone... by the time me, Ink and Barnes got there."

"Well..." Jack said, half in a grunt as Malloy helped him to his feet, "We can't really assume anything at this point. I'm going to see if River's feeling up for a talk."

"If _she's _up for a talk?" Ink said shaking his head, "This from the guy who was dead like a minute ago?"

Jack gave the tattooed young man a flirtatious grin, "I'm always _up_ for anything, Private."

The now living Captain and Malloy headed into the stone house to speak with Professor Song, leaving the three mutant soldiers to wait for Summers.

Toynbee smirked as Ink scowled uncomfortably at Jack's quip. Harkness was as odd as the rest of his crew yet that did not bother the young man called "Toad". In fact, he liked everyone on the research team better the more he got to know them. Something about their strangeness felt natural, _normal_, and he could not help but to like being a part of that.

"Ya know what I think?" Ink said after the two outsiders were out of earshot, "I think it's the same guys who were planting the bombs."

"You don't know that," Toynbee shot back.

"Did I say I _knew_?" Ink asked, lighting a cigarette on one of the torches, "No. I didn't. It's just what I think."

"Any messages?" Haze asked, tapping his temple to show what he meant.

Ink shook his head, exhaling smoke, "No. It's just a hunch."

Toynbee glanced at Haze and saw resignation on the taller mutant's face.

"I got the same hunch," Haze added, scratching his spiny scalp, "Don't know why. I ain't psychic but... that kinda feels right to me."

"Why would they shoot Professor Song and Captain Harkness then?" Toynbee asked, feeling like he was missing something the other two had figured out.

Haze shook his head, "Maybe cause they were first in line of sight? Who knows. But you know there haven't been Charlies in this area in a couple months. And, here we are, one day out of camp in some hidden village and someone just happens to find us and try to take out the people we're assigned to. Doesn't seem like coincidence."

The three fell quiet as they each considered their situation. Toynbee grudgingly admitted to himself that he agreed with Ink and Haze. If someone had been bold enough to try to kill the mutant squad in camp, why wouldn't they continue to attack them in the field?

The squad was still sitting silently when Toynbee heard someone approaching from the dark. A quick whistle let them know the footsteps belonged to a friendly but the trio still got to their feet. Summers and the mutant Toph appeared from out of the darkness into the torch light. The young woman did not pause in stride and did not acknowledge them as she walked further into the stone village.

Summers joined the squad and asked for an update on Jack and River. Haze gave him a run down of what had happened and Summers shook his head.

"Well, I'm glad Harkness is alive. Though I still have a hard time believing it," he said and sat on a wooden bench, looking weary.

"So what the hell happened out there?" Haze asked, "Did you get a look at the gunmen? Were they Charlies or... someone else?"

Summers rubbed the back of his neck as he replied, "No idea. From what I saw, they were dressed in black. They could've been wearing uniforms but they also could've been in long evening gowns for all I know. Didn't even have a chance to get a blast off before Toph... did her thing..."

Toynbee saw Summers clench his hands at mention of his powers. The head of their squad was rarely rattled but the strain of the past few hours was obviously catching up with him. Enemy combatants aside, Summers had rediscovered a friend he had though dead, discovered a secret village of mutants (including one who could crack open the ground) and then learned a member of the research team was immortal. Toynbee figured "normal" soldiers would have gone totally nuts by now.

"Let's get the watch started for tonight," Summer said, "I'm gonna be useless tomorrow if I don't get some rest. You two still good for first shift?"

Haze nodded and Ink said, "Oh sure why not..."

"Good," Summers said, not bothering to reprimand Ink's attitude, "Wake me and Toynbee up in four hours to relieve you. Unless there's a problem..."

"Don't worry," Ink said with a snarky grin, "There will be."

* * *

Jack Harkness rubbed the bridge of his nose as River explained what the team needed to do next. The pain from the mended bullet wound was still lingering and River's persistent drive toward their goal was not helping with his headache.

River Song sat on the edge of Darwin's bed, looking tireless despite her bandaged head and arm. Malloy and Barnes stood nearby, neither looking ready to challenge the determined Professor. Darwin had allowed them use of his sleeping chamber for private discussion.

"The source is somewhere on that mountain," River said, "We know that now. And we need to get there as soon as possible."

"River," Jack said, raising his eyes to his stubborn companion, "It's not going to be an easy hike. The mountain is a long way off. And now we seem to have someone following and trying to kill us."

"It's a war zone, Jack," River said, "It's not unexpected. We'll just need to practice more caution."

Jack raised a hand pleadingly, "Caution is one thing. But wouldn't it make more sense to get back to the ship and go on our own rather than dragging out this research team charade?"

"We still can't contact the ship, Jack," River replied, then turning to Malloy, "What about Rimmer? Has he made another appearance?"

Malloy shifted uncomfortably, "No. And I actually tried to contact him directly after Summers told us about you guys getting shot. Not a word back though. Even if the computer is down or something, I should still be able to contact him."

River nodded, as if Malloy was supporting her argument, "Then whatever was jamming communications this morning would seem to be getting worse. Energies from the rift itself may be interfering with the signal. We can't know for sure. But that's all the more reason we need to get to that mountain and destroy the rift. As quickly as possible."

"We can't ignore what happened at the stone circle, though," Barnes said, rubbing his chin, "Maybe it was a fluke and some natives got upset about us being there... but, from what Darwin's told us, I don't believe that."

"Which is why we need to figure out who they were before heading out into the jungle again," Jack said, then added when he saw River's combative expression, "The next time we're attacked, it might not be just me who gets a hole in the head."

"I'm not saying there won't be risks," River argued, "This whole venture is nothing but risk. But we _have to try_. We need to move fast before something far worse than men with guns forces itself into this world!"

Jack was about to respond when the door to the small room opened. Darwin's face was apologetic as he looked over the tense scene.

"Sorry," he said, "Just thought I'd ask if anyone wanted some tea."

River gave their host a winning smile, "Yes, that would be lovely, Mr. Darwin."

By the expression on the mutant's face, Jack realized it was not just the offer of tea that brought him into the room.

"You know, I couldn't help but overhearing," Darwin said, "I don't know who you people are but Alex seems determined to help you so... I think I may have something to help you get to the mountain."

Jack looked surprised, "What do you mean?"

Darwin hesitated only a moment before replying, "The river that lead you from the military base. It goes right to the mountain's base. And I have a boat..."


	16. Chapter 16

**Author's note: Hopefully not too many typos in this one. It's late but I was determined to get this chapter out today. Hopefully it makes some kind of sense. Reviews, as always, welcomed and appreciated.**

* * *

It was nearing noon on the second day of their travels toward the mountain and the rift. Darwin had, by some amazing stretch of luck, had a moderately size patrol boat moored along the river bank. It was not much to look at, but was seaworthy, with a solid hull and a fairly roomy cabin below. Darwin said it had come down river from the army camp about a year before, laden with crew and supplies. When it had come back from the mountain, however, it had been empty with no sign of soldiers. The residents of his make-shift village had taken it as their own to use for acquiring supplies and had kept it well hidden along the bank.

Darwin had declined River Song's offer to join them on their mission. He wanted to stay with Toph and the other people in the village in case more intruders found their way on to their land. This left the four mutant soldiers and four 'researchers' to continue their journey on their own.

Two of the mutant soldiers, Haze and Toad, were pacing around and monitoring the shore line for any sign of pursuit or trouble. Ink was taking his turn manning the wheel of the ship on a platform raised slightly from the deck.

Bucky Barnes was leaning on his elbows against the front of the ship, staring forward down the river. He heard someone groan and glanced back over his shoulder with a sympathetic grin as Malloy clung to one of the boat's side rails.

The sun was bright but mostly shielded from the greenery that formed a canopy over the river. The light was not Malloy's problem though, the river was. Her memory of being from Nebraska seemed to be confirmed by the obvious fact she was a total land lover.

Toynbee was hovering about Malloy, trying to offer her water from a canteen. She waved it off and leaned her head against the boat's metallic inner wall. The river was not choppy and flowed quickly toward their destination. But the 'young' woman had been out of sorts since setting foot on the craft.

Barnes returned his gaze forward to stare up at the mountain and stood upright, grin fading from his face. His hands, flesh and metal, gripped the railing at the front of the craft firmly, the only evidence of his growing discomfort. The closer the mountain loomed on the horizon, the greater a sense of dread filled his mind. He found himself wishing for the simple seasickness plaguing his crew mate.

_Mission report..._

The words pierced through his head like a blade, dividing him into the man he was now... and the man he hoped he had not been before his journey through time had begun.

_...order and chaos..._

Barnes lifted his right hand to his face and rubbed the bridge of his nose, eyes squinted shut.

_It wasn't an aircraft..._ He thought, _I fell, but it wasn't from an aircraft... it was from a train..._

_...Who the hell is Bucky?..._

"Hey, man..." a voice said from his left, "You alright?"

Barnes opened his eyes and turned his head, spotting Haze standing on the deck nearby. He gave the soldier a weak smile and nodded.

"Yeah..." he said, then added with more conviction than he felt as he turned his back to the mountain, "Yeah, I'm good."

Haze nodded in return, "Just making sure you're not gonna lose your breakfast the way Malloy did."

"I don't think so," Barnes replied, "I've been on a boat a time or two before."

Malloy groaned again as their transport lurched gently against the tide, shifting so her back was against the hull. Barnes walked over to the ailing woman and crouched down next to her and Toynbee.

"Are we there yet?" Malloy asked feebly when Barnes reached her.

"Probably not until tomorrow, I think," he replied, "Did you take the dramamine Jack gave you?"

"Took it..." she confirmed, "Don't know how much of it I kept down..."

"You should try to stand up," he suggested, "Try to get your sea legs."

Malloy looked up at him doubtfully, "Bucky, I don't even have _puddle_ legs, let alone _sea _legs."

Barnes gave her a hint of a grin but continued resolutely, "You still gotta try. You can't spend the next day not eating and expect to be ready to close the rift."

Malloy groaned again and hid her face between the hull and her red hair. Barnes glanced at Toynbee, who looked worried but shrugged helplessly.

With an annoyed sigh, Barnes stood up, grabbed the back of woman's shirt with his cybernetic arm and lifted her to her feet. Malloy yelped in surprise as she was hoisted up like a toddler onto unsteady legs.

"Oy!" Toynbee said with a scowl, "Take it easy. She's just..."

"In a war zone," Barnes replied firmly, putting his hands on the woman's shoulders to steady her. Malloy glared at him but Barnes ignored it. She may not be a soldier but he was going to treat her like one while there was an unknown enemy lurking on their trail.

Barnes folded his arms and, after a moment, said, "Well? Walk."

With an angry sigh, Malloy took a few paces away from the railing. She turned and paced back, unsteady but determined. She was still glaring when the boat rocked again and she grabbed the railing with one hand.

"Happy?" she asked and Barnes nodded.

"Keep it up and maybe you'll keep your lunch down," he replied.

"Yeah... well... hope so..." she said in return, still looking queasy but at least on her feet.

Barnes's face faded into a sympathetic grin and he gave her a quick punch on the shoulder.

"Come on, this ain't so bad," he said, "One time, I took my buddy Steve on the Cyclone at Coney Island. I've never seen a guy puke so much..."

Malloy raised her eyebrows in surprise and asked, "Coney Island?"

"Yeah, it was back in '35 before the war and..." Barnes began, then paused. His grin faded as he realized what he was saying. The memory had come up so naturally, without the pain and fear that had come with the others, he had barely noticed.

It took him a few moments to realize Malloy and Toynbee were still watching him. Barnes shifted on his feet and shook his head in wonder.

"What d'ya know..." he said, smile returning, "My best friend... his name is Steve."

"More memories coming back," Malloy said, "That's good, right?"

"That mean were heading in the right direction?" Toynbee asked, turning his goggled eyes toward the mountain.

"Guess so," Barnes said, elation passing back to caution. The brief light of that fond memory made the shadows in his mind seem much darker... and more dangerous.

* * *

"What should we be looking for when we get there?" Alex asked the wounded yet energetic Professor Song.

Alex, Professor Song and Jack Harkness were down in the boat's cabin, planning the next stage of their mission.

River Song was paging through a collection of maps, using her wrist worn computer to highlight areas of interest before she made notations. The futuristic device with its beeps and flashes made Alex feel like he was in an episode of Star Trek, the campy sci fi show Hank McCoy used to make them watch every weekend at Xavier's school.

"Your guess is as good as ours, Private," Jack replied when River did not, "The rift is underground so, unless we get lucky enough to find a shallow point, there may not be much to see. To triangulate the source, we need to go by the intensity of the readings..."

"Or Barnes and Malloy's memories," River added which continuing her calculations.

"Yes..." Jack agreed with a sigh, "Or that..."

"Doesn't seem like a very exact science," Alex put in with a frown.

"No science is exact when you're dealing with a break in time and space," River said in her bizarrely cheerful way, "It's a lawless land where the laws of science may not apply."

Alex's brows creased with frustration at the Professor's cryptic words. He found himself thinking of Hank McCoy again and wishing the fur ball was around to translate whatever the hell River Song was talking about.

"Terrific," Alex replied, folding his arms, then said, "If you don't need me here, I'm going to go relieve one of the guys so they can get the mid day rations out."

Alex turned and headed up the steps toward the deck. The door exited onto the rear of the boat and, before he could head toward the bow, he realized Jack had followed him.

"Summers," Jack said, looking oddly apologetic, "I know River can be a bit... abrupt... when she's in her researchy zone. But we will need your team's experience in the field once we get to the base of the mountain. Don't take her tone as dismissive. You're squad's gifts are going to be invaluable if we actually find that something has come out of the rift."

"Monsters?" Alex asked. When Jack looked surprised, he continued, "Barnes was telling me a bit about it before we found Darwin's village."

"Monsters..." Jack said thoughtfully, "Well, that's putting it mildly..."

Alex opened his mouth to inquire further when a shout from the front of the ship caused them both to rush toward the bow.

Haze was pointing toward the trees as they approached. Barnes had his rifle pointed in the same direction.

"What's going on?" Alex asked coming up to Haze's side. Jack stopped a few paces behind next to Malloy and Toynbee.

"I..." Haze stammered, "... I don't really know. It was like a bird... but... _huge_. And black. And dripping..."

"Barnes?" Alex asked but the other man shook his head.

"Didn't see it," Barnes replied, "Cast one hell of a shadow though."

"Dripping?" Malloy asked. Alex glanced back to see the ill expression on her face as she began to lose her balance. Toynbee put a steadying hand on her arm to help her stay on her feet.

"Dripping," Jack said, "It's one of those, huh? Damn."

"One of whats?" Haze asked, his dark eyes wide, "That thing... that thing was... I don't even have a word for what it was..."

"It's a creature from the rift," Jack said, then asked, "Which way was it flying?"

"Back toward the mountain," Haze said, swallowing anxiously, "Same way we're headed."

Jack nodded and tapped his finger against the screen of his wrist worn computer. He extended his hand and a square of light formed above his palm. The holographic screen displayed an image that Alex could only describe as a nightmare. A dark, winged creature with a body which seemed to be in an active stage of decay. Its mouth, a pit of spindly sharp teeth, was not on a head but protruded from its mid-section. And its body did indeed appear to be dripping in the brief film Jack was sharing.

"Oh god..." Malloy blurted before leaning over the edge of the boat and vomiting again.

Alex did not blame her as he felt his own stomach lurch. What the hell had his squad gotten themselves into?

"You're telling me..." Alex said after a few moments, "... that this _thing_ … is between us and the rift?"

"Only if it notices us," Jack said, "And, there's a pretty good chance it already has..."

"I hate our job, Jack," Malloy said as she slid down against the hull and sat on the deck. This time, when Toynbee offered her the canteen, she took it gratefully and took a long, slow drink.


End file.
